Easter in Asia thirsting for resurrection

From Myanmar to the Middle East, countless women, children and men in Asia, victims of pain and injustice, weep like Mary Magdalene who lost her Lord and friend. But with her, they believe that the Risen One changes the course of history and allows us to trust that the forces of good will prevail over those of evil.

Dear Asianews readers,

the people of Asia have reason to long for rebirth. My thoughts turn especially to the people of Myanmar, struck by a tragic earthquake after last year's cyclone and the horrible (in)civil war waged by the military junta against its own people. In China, as we have written, believers are severely restricted in the practice of their faith, and there are serious incidents of violence that could be avoided if the authorities allowed more freedom. Hong Kong continues to grapple with the national security law that keeps more than a thousand people in prison for their democratic activism, many of them sisters and brothers in faith. In Taiwan, there are fears that the status quo that guarantees the island's well-being and security will be altered by threatening initiatives from Beijing.

In neighbouring Gaza, the horrific tragedy that seems to without end continues: reckless violence that sows unyielding hatred for generations. Violence and great instability afflict the entire Middle East. The people of Jerusalem and the Land of Jesus, including the small Christian communities, suffer not only from violence and social instability, but also from economic bankruptcy due to the collapse of pilgrimages and tourism.

Yet the resurrection of Jesus took place in Jerusalem, the city that bears the name of peace. On Easter morning, someone saw and believed that life has the upper hand over pain and death. Countless women, children and men in Asia, victims of pain and injustice, weep like Mary Magdalene who lost her Lord and friend. She cannot imagine living without Jesus. She searches for him, and he calls her by name and entrusts her with a mission. She stops crying, accepts the mission and is reborn with Jesus. Faith in him, the Lord of life, can take away everything, even the most painful and dramatic things, from tears and despair.

We believe that the resurrection of Jesus is a real turning point and is the event that changes the course of history, allowing us to bet with confidence that the forces of good prevail over those of evil, and life over death.

Happy Easter!

The image accompanying this greeting is a depiction of the Risen Christ by Korean painter Kim Ki-chang (1913-2001).

• Easter