The following is a translation of an article authored by Richárd Korzensky, Benedictine monk, educator, former prior of the Tihany Abbey, originally published on Mandiner.hu.
If we take it seriously that life is a treasure, then many things in our lives should be different. In our country. In our world.
Easter is here again: the feast of those who thirst for good news. For Christians, it is the day of the empty tomb. The celebration of meeting the Living Christ. He who preached the kingdom of truth and peace among people, the kingdom not of this world, Jesus of Nazareth, was executed. He died. He was buried. But on the third day, his disciples meet him again. ‘Peace be onto you. It is I, don’t be afraid!’, Jesus tells them.
The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive. Life is stronger than death. It’s a celebration. A holy day.
But is there anything that is equally sacred for everyone? Are we people whose lives radiate the good news that life is worth living? Or nothing really matters? For us mortals who want to live, how much does the certainty of the good news that ‘Life is alive and wants to live’ enter into our lives?
If we take it seriously that life is a treasure, then many things in our lives should be different. They should be different in our communities. In our country. In our world. Our values should be rearranged. More precisely: we should have values. We should be able to distinguish between important and unimportant things. We should be able to distinguish the true from the false, the good from the bad. Our lives should not be dominated by momentary interests, but by true values.
But what is real value?
Everything that serves life is good.
What hinders, obstructs and destroys it is bad. I cannot do all that I am capable of; my freedom has limits. These limits are for life. The life of the person and the community. The life of the family, the home, the homeland, the nation. I cannot assert my will in such a way that the lives of others suffer because of it. Every move we make should serve life. But where is the respect for life?
Christianity proclaims two thousand years of good news on the feast of Easter. The news of an event for the truth of which the apostles of Jesus were able to give their lives. And since then, many people have been able to draw strength from it to make their lives and, therefore, the lives of those around them, more human. A disillusioned, discouraged, hopeless society needs the good news. Not promises by politicians, but actions and facts that serve life. But it is not from others that we should expect actions: we must act ourselves. For centuries, the good news of Easter gave Christ’s disciples the strength to act. But where are they, where are we Christians in this world? We constantly feel the tension between life and death in ourselves and in the whole world.
Those who have heard the good news must pass it on to others. Enough of the destruction: there is a resurrection! Easter is a celebration of life. Not life in general, but more specifically: the life that triumphs over death, which believers are convinced was received as a gift from God. Anyone who considers themselves a believer must fight for their faith every day. Just as the non-believer has to face the temptation of faith: maybe it is not as I think. Maybe there is more to life, it is richer than what I see of it?
Life is a secret. The source of life, God, is a secret. An unfathomable, infinite mystery and reality. Man: an incomprehensible mystery and seemingly finite. But we are all part of this infinite life. We are responsible for it. It’s up to us: do we want to take on religion, faith— do we want to take on a mission, do we want to pass on the good news, spread the gospel? Can we share our good and beautiful experiences with each other?
This is the message of Easter. Sharing the most ordinary beautiful experiences with each other: that is transforming the world. It just takes courage. For believers and non-believers alike. We should respect each other. Because none of us can create life. Destroy it, all the more.
Just as war begins in the heart of man, the possibility of peace is also in the heart of all of us.
If we are ready to respect and protect everything and everyone that lives, we will have peace. There will be peace in our families. In our homes. In our nation. In our homeland. In the world.
Click here to read the original article.
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