Card Bo calls on the faithful to roll down the stones that block the country in a man-made grave
Hate, injustice and conflict are the stones that hinder the blessings of the people of Myanmar. Following in the footsteps of Pope Francis’s apostolic journey, the archbishop of Yangon reiterated the Church’s commitment to national reconciliation. "The Church,” he said, “will use its local and international influence to work towards a durable peace based on Justice.”
Yangon (AsiaNews) – Charles Maung Bo, archbishop of Yangon and Myanmar’s first cardinal, issued his Easter message to the country’s Catholic community.
In it, he reminded fellow Catholics that “Easter is a day of hope.” He also urged the nation to “come out man-made graves and rolldown the stones that block our people”.
In his message for Holy Week, the cardinal makes a new appeal for the building “of a nation of hope and peace", urging the people of Myanmar to choose life over death.
"The great event of the Resurrection has three significant steps: The suffering of the innocent Lamb of God, Jesus; the hope of Holy Saturday; and the gravestone removed with Jesus rising again in triumph over the powers of darkness.”
Card Bo noted that Myanmar has also gone through these phases in its recent history. Millions of its people have suffered in the past. “At present our people are living in the hope of Holy Saturday, hoping that this country will leave its addiction to wounds” behind.
The prelate mentioned Pope Francis’s appeal for peace and reconciliation to the Myanmar people, delivered at the solemn Mass he celebrated in Yangon during his recent apostolic visit to the country when he urged people to leave behind the wounds, known or hidden, of the past.
To do this, the country must "come out of man-made graves, and roll down the stones that block our people’s blessings." For Card Bo, there are three "stones" that must be rolled down: the first one is hate.
"This nation's spiritual heritage was built on the great virtue of compassion – Karuna. But hate speech has been used by a small fringe” to promote fratricidal killing.
Therefore, there is an "urgent need" for the people of Myanmar to listen to the pope's call to stay away from revenge in favour of forgiveness, renewing their commitment to religious tolerance vis-à-vis the country’s various communities.
The second "stone" is injustice. "When there is no justice there is no peace," the cardinal said, citing some of the social evils that afflict the nation.
“Millions are buried in the grave of economic injustice in this country; thousands are buried as 'modern slaves' in unsafe migration to nearby countries. Resources have become the deep grave for our ethnic brothers and sisters. Looting has buried thousands in conflict and displacement.”
The last "stone" is conflict. Card Bo directly addresses the government and ethnic groups, telling them "let us move away from the grave of conflict".
Sixty years of war have devastated a nation that, despite its wealth of resources, is among the poorest in the world. "The conflict has eaten the core of Myanmar people’s dignity. Peace is the only way forward," the archbishop said.
“Conflict has mutilated this country. Nearly three million of our youth are out, a million are displaced, a million have fled the country as refugees. This was once a golden land blessed with great wealth. Our wounds are self-inflicted wounds. Refusing to accept the multicultural nature of this country has brought ethnic conflicts.”
In his message, Card Bo renewed the commitment of the Myanmar Church in favour of the process of reconciliation and building a nation based on justice, which found new impetus in the words of the pontiff in Myanmar.
The prelate noted the suffering of the country’s Christian minorities, who have been the victims of decades of ethnic strife and have seen their religious freedom and human rights violated.
“We accompany all the people in their Way of the Cross and their unending Lent. Christ continues to suffer, carrying his Cross in our ethnic brothers and sisters.”
“Following the mandate of the pope, the Church in Myanmar has undertaken the sacred pilgrimage of peace, participating in peace conferences, supporting Pang Long Peace Conferences. The Church will use its local and international influence to work towards a durable peace based on Justice.”
“War and displacement and enforced poverty are some of the graves in which our people are buried alive. Rolling down the stones that cover these man-made graves and breathe life into our brothers and sisters living in the valley of death is the prophetic mission of the Church today in Myanmar.”
“Let peace break forth in the dawn. Let my country be raised from hopelessness into peace and prosperity and become the Golden Land once again,” said Card Bo.
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12/04/2017 16:14
