“YOU WILL NOT
HAVE MY HATRED.”
Recently
we have seen violence and death in Paris, Sinai, Bamako and other places. Our
first reaction is to mourn for the victims and their families. The difficulty
comes with our second reaction. As with the bombing of the Twin Towers in
America in 2001, it can easily become revenge. This is couched in the language
of “bringing the perpetrators to justice.” Political leaders find it so
difficult to use any other words. That is why alternative voices are so needed.
Pope
Francis wrote two years ago: “In many places today we hear a call for greater
security. But until exclusion and inequality in society and between peoples are
reversed, it will be impossible to eliminate violence. The poor and the poorer
people are accused of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different
forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain and eventually
explode.” (The Joy of the Gospel,
#59)
The
world is an unequal place. Millions feel marginalised and excluded from the table
of life. Although they often come from countries with great natural resources
they see no way of ever gaining access to that table. More than once, Jesus
used children as parables of adult behaviour. We can do the same. When a child
does not get what he wants he throws a tantrum. I remember a boy who felt
unjustly treated and he threw an ink bottle at the wall making a hugely
satisfying mess. It achieved nothing and he suffered painful consequences, but
he felt he’d made his point.
So,
after our deep sorrow for what has happened, there comes a call to understand.
For more than twenty years there was violence and terror in Northern Ireland.
But eventually the different sides sat down and listened to each other and came
up with an agreement which addressed the issues that had caused the violence in
the first place. The advantage was Northern Ireland is a small place. The
present violence knows no boundaries. It will be more difficult to address. It
seems, once again, a military solution will be attempted. But does experience
give us hope that this will solve the issue? At some point the road Pope
Francis indicates will have to be walked.
One
thing is certain. The road of hate leads nowhere. A young man, Antoine Leiris,
who lost his wife in the Paris killings, spoke briefly and movingly afterwards.
I suspect his words are echoing around the world. Addressing the killers he
said, “You will not have my hatred.” If you want to stir up hatred among
people, I, for one, will not give you that satisfaction. And my 17 month old
son, when he grows up, will not hate you either.
This
Sunday is the feast of Christ the King and the gospel shows Jesus standing
before Pilate rejected and humiliated. Pilate asks him, “Are you a king?” Jesus
says, “Yes.” He is a king who reigns in weakness and vulnerability on the side
of the poor and marginalised. He is one who witnesses to the desire of God to
gather his people into one and to do this he has to walk, not with the strong
and secure, but with weak and excluded.
22 November 2015 Christ
the King B
Daniel 7:13-14 Revelation
1:5-8 John
18:33-37
