Let us awake from the Culture of Death to a Hopeful Resurrection

The gospel of Mark (16: 1-7) reminds us: Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised. May the peace and blessings of Easter, the day of Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus fill all of you dispelling all darkness of death and destruction. Christ is risen, Hallelujah!

I know it is difficult to say Happy Easter in Myanmar today.

Our own Way of the Cross

This online notice in the Burmese language (with its Chinese and Tibetan connections) by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar (CBCM) is an announcement of Mass for the First Sunday of LentThe greatest Feast of Christianity comes during the saddest days in Myanmar history. For the last two months our people have walked through a real Way of the Cross. They continue to be on the Mount of Calvary. Hundreds have been killed. A blood bath has flown on our sacred land. Young and old and even the children have been mercilessly killed. Dark days. Thousands are arrested and thrown into prisons. Thousands are on the run escaping arrests. Millions are starving.

It is normal for many to ask the question like the Biblical Job: Where is God? Why has our God who promised not to forget us, even if the mother forgets us, seemed to have abandoned us? These are questions of the wounded people and we need to accompany them in their silent suffering. The event of Resurrection is the reminder of hope. How shall it be relevant to us?

The process of healing must begin

This Easter must begin the process of healing this nation. A wounded nation can find solace in Christ who underwent all that we are undergoing: He was tortured, he was abused and he was killed on the Cross by arrogant powers. He felt the same sense of abandonment by God, felt by so many of our Youth, as he cried out from the Cross : Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me" (Matthew 27:46).

But God in his glory has given Jesus the victory through resurrection. The message of the Cross ends in the glory of resurrection. The Roman Empire that crucified Jesus has become foot note of history. But Jesus lives in the hearts of billions as Emmanuel. So with courage proclaim the battle cry of the oppressed: Jesus has risen, Hallelujah! …

What is the message of Easter to Myanmar today?

I take the risk of contextualizing Easter message to all: to the Youth, to the army, the civil society, ethnic groups and all religious groups. The Resurrection has two powerful symbols: An empty grave opened and a tortured and crucified Jesus resurrected in glory: knocking out the darkness. These two are the Easter messages to my dear Myanmar.

1. Let all the graves be opened: The plight of our nation for the last two years is sad. It buried more than 3,000 during Covid. It buried more than 500 people in the coup. The coup is a shattering catastrophe. Dreams of our people became nightmare. We have suffered 70 years. We thought democracy was the light - the prophesy of Isaiah which said the people who have walked in darkness have seen the light! Let the dreams of democracy buried for the last two months in the graves of oppression be resurrected.

2. The message of Resurrection: We see four contextual elements of Resurrection.

For those now in power

These are the messages of Easter to those who are in power.

peaceful protesters carry candlesTo those who protest: the feast of resurrection, Easter, has a very strong message: I wish to articulate that message of peace and reconciliation, despite my hesitation. I know I could be unpopular. I follow Mother Teresa who said we are called not to be popular but to be faithful.

I am not a politician; I am a religious leader; I am a follower of Jesus. My message springs from Jesus, who despite all the torture and pain inflicted on the way of the Cross, could say magnanimously from the Cross about his torturers : Father forgive them; they do not know what they do. (Luke 23: 34).

Yes. This provokes anger especially among the youth. When a roller coaster of emotions crush, human beings seek vengeance. That is understandable. Jesus’ method is different. How did Jesus reconcile and saves us: just one way: by his Cross: Passion, Death and Resurrection: St. Paul is candid “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

The Easter message for us today is reconciliation

The message of the Bible is simple: reconciliation. Humanization of your enemy. Give him the benefit of love. One of the glorious verses in the Bible can guide us; God so loved the world that he sent in Son, not to condemn but to redeem and reconcile.

As St. Paul says: “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). The world can never be redeemed by violence, but only through redemptive love.

Non-violence is the key to peace

Cardinal Bo addresses his congregation and his nation on Easter SundayEven as a strategy, the Youth of Myanmar must embrace non-violence. More non-violent struggles succeeded in the twentieth century than violent ones. They attract a large section of the population. It wins the admiration of the world. The message of the Cross is even your enemy needs liberation from his hatred, as much as you seek your own liberation from his brutal oppression. People must affirm that enduring message of the Cross.

The struggle so far has drawn huge support from all men and women of good will. Youth have proved to the world, when Evil asserts it must be resisted, even at the risk of losing your life. In a poignant show of humanity, those who died young, donated their body and blood to the future of others, shaming cowards who celebrated every killing.

Darkness can only be dispelled by light

You are a great example to be admired. This is the path you need to follow. If you do not like the methods of the enemy, you cannot justify adopting his methods to resist him. Darkness can never be dispelled by darkness, only by light. Hate can never be dispelled by hate, only by love. Your struggle is not only for democracy, but for humanity.

As you struggle, you realized the short comings too: Our humanity was in hibernation when ethnic and religious minorities suffered in the past. This struggle has awakened huge wave of humanity and fellowship among all people.

So, adopt non-violent methods. Do not die unnecessarily. If you live long, democracy is strengthened, the evil is weakened. The enemy knows only one language: ruthless violence. Silence that language. He wants to draw you into his violent turf, where he is powerful. Deny him that turf advantage.

Defeat him with love; defeat him with humanity. That was the message of the Cross. That is the destiny of this nation.

Let a new Myanmar of peace and prosperity rise from the grave of hatred and darkness. Then all of us, Youth, Civil society, ethnic communities, all religions will join together and celebrate a new Easter of Resurrected Myanmar. In such a Myanmar, Jesus is risen! Let us Rejoice!Cardinal Bo gathers with his Diocesan clergy

(Republished with permission of the Archdiocese of Yangon, Mymanmar)