You have seen videos of them, witnessed them, or been victim of violent currents. Sometimes with known causes, other times unknown ones; we have witnessed important figures go down the river of violence, one after another, countless times, with social media quickening the process of the message of the groaning tales of battering, battered, or both. They have been family, relatives, friends, all or those we have learnt to follow on social media.
The questions that linger in the mind are; why, how and when will this stop? Do people care; are we protected by our
societies? Do we still matter?
According to The Social Teaching of the Catholic Church, the principle of nonviolence highlights our relationship with one another in a local and global community (cf. introduction to the Catholic Social Doctrine). It does not stop there but it calls upon us all as the Synodal Church, to actively work for justice in solidarity, for the good of our community and human dignity.
What are we doing as a common people on this synodal journey of Communion, Participation and Mission that Pope Francis is advocating for? Do we hope and act with creation, looking out for our brothers and sisters? Jesus warns in the Gospel of Mathew thus: “…Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they take by the sword, shall perish with the sword.” (Matthew 26, 26:52) The adage that hate begets hate: violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness and love wins over all is not new to us. These are deologies that Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) upheld during the search for freedom.
Martin Luther King advocates for love rather than the forces of hatred. He lives by the Bible quote that we must turn the other
cheek, which is re-echoed in the Gospel of Matthew 5:38-39: “You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” However, can we turn the other cheek when the offender denounces the same? The light in our time is dying day-by-day, with little chance of survival, or rather, our survival now is in the cloud, on social media where we can make news, positive and negative, we are forced to chant; come Lord Jesus, the light is dying! As we commemorate the season of creation, “To Hope and Act with Creation,” in the words of Fr Kennedy Onoba Mccj, may we see the Earth, not merely as a resource to be exploited but as a sacred gift, our mother and sister.
As Christians, may we be reminded that our mission on Earth is: to cultivate love where hate exists, peace where violence
prevails and honesty where corruption roots…, etc. Thus, may we use whatever gift we have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. May we too “love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. See 1 Peter 4:8.
With the assurance of Mother Theresa that: where love prevails, so does peace, may we uphold true love but be aware that:
“True love is love that causes us pain, hurts and yet brings us joy!” We pray to God and ask Him to give us the courage to love.
© 2022 Leadership Magazine.