Cardinal Puljić's Easter Message: Self-interest, corruption, bribery, and crime have prevailed

Agencija Patria publishes the full text of Cardinal Vinko Puljić's Easter message, Archbishop Metropolitan of Vrhbosna:

Jesus appears to the disciples on the road to Emmaus

„But we had hoped..!“ (Lk 24,21)

After spending three years in Jesus' school, the disciples experienced his passion, crucifixion and death in a terrible and stressful way. Human fear crept into their hearts. No matter how much they grew in faith with Jesus, they retained a worldly mentality and understanding different from Jesus' proclamation. Some locked themselves in the upper room of the Last Supper, while others, hearing a story about the resurrection, wanted to flee from that reality. Two of them go outside Jerusalem, but they carry within themselves everything that happened and ponder it in their hearts. They cannot escape reality, even though they wanted to flee from it. Along the way, they constantly talked about these events.

Our life reality

When we reflect on these events, mediated to us by the God-inspired evangelists, we can also recognize ourselves in that drama. After all the stressful wartime and post-war hardships, it seems we have lost trust in God, as if we have forgotten where our security lies and who guides history. Some have begun to seek security in material consumption; others have given themselves over to the constant political narrative imposed on us daily by the media; still others have decided to flee that environment, even though they carry memories and remembrance as they leave – their thoughts often return to the roots from which they tore themselves away – wanting to forget everything. Unfortunately, besides this flight from one's own into the unknown and foreign, there are also those who flee into various addictions, such as drugs, alcohol, gambling (betting shops). Although they complain that there is „nothing to live on“, they still find means for this escape, investing and spending everything, thereby undermining the family, society, and the person's own stability. In their desire to overcome such a state, not a few resort to drinking or other addictions, in order to forget what they must face. Some go so far as, unfortunately, to take their own lives.

Hopes and disappointments

Jesus, who is the revealed mercy of God, draws near to our human reality, just as he drew near to those two disciples fleeing to Emmaus. In doing so, he showed that he is interested in our reality, even when we flee from it. It is comforting that he is ready to listen to our lamentations, complaints, and accusations. However, it should be noted that he rebuked those two after their disappointment: „But we had hoped...“, because they are foolish and slow of heart (cf. Lk 24,25) to believe the Revelation that God gives as light and guidance.

This often happens with our prayers to Jesus, when we talk with him and express our dashed hopes: we hoped that democracy would bring the realization of human rights; we hoped that equality before the law would prevail for all; we hoped that people could live from their work and earn a pension; we hoped that society would support mothers and families who wish to have children; we hoped that the unjust Dayton Agreement would be corrected, and that everyone could peacefully return to their homes; we hoped that everyone could freely live their religious and national identity; we hoped... but self-interest, corruption, bribery, and crime have prevailed. Many mothers have been dismissed from work because they want to give birth; many have trusted more in party interests and forgotten their roots and the graves of their ancestors; many expect others to build a happier future for them, while they flee „seeking bread beyond the loaf“.

We will not renew through flight

The Risen Christ also comes to us to enlighten our minds so that we may be able to discern and recognize true values. He encourages us not to be afraid to believe in the Word of God and to find healing for our wounds in it. He calls us to place our wounds in his wounds, so that he may heal us and strengthen us in faith, so that we, like the Apostle Thomas, may confess that Jesus is „my Lord and my God!“ (Jn 20,28). His presence in our reality is the path we have charted in preparation for our Vrhbosna Synod: To renew all things in Christ. We will not renew through flight, but by accepting the living and risen Christ into our lives.

Therefore, the Easter greeting calls us to love our roots and to recognize on our path Jesus who travels with us. With his word, he heals our wounds and helps us regain the courageous hope with which we will face everyday life. To love our „cradle that rocked us“. With Jesus, to overcome every fear in the struggle for man, his rights and dignity. To free ourselves from fear in the struggle for life, in the struggle for our dear soil soaked with martyrs' blood – there lie the graves of our ancestors, which are our vow that we too may bravely tread in the footsteps of our fathers with living faith.

May the joy of Easter faith resound

Encouraged by the risen Christ, let us face our reality and not allow others to decide about us and our future in these lands without us. Let us not cause Jesus to have to say to us: „O foolish ones, and slow of heart“. This Christ, who conquered on the cross, will give us strength in bearing our cross, especially through the grace of forgiveness and the manifestation of love. Aware that we are loved beings, let us strive to grow in love and forgive one another, so that God's mercy may prevail in us and among us.

In this spirit of reflection, as I extend my Easter greeting to you, I wish that each of you may experience Jesus' closeness, the light and power of his words: „Peace be with you“ (Jn 20,21), which we heard during last year's visit of Pope Francis to our country. I wish that each of you may experience the joy of forgiveness and be filled with the grace that gives strength for life. As I greet you at Easter, my wish is that you may be touched by and that within you may resound the joy of faith with which we will face all challenges, courageously witnessing to him, the Risen One. May Easter joy permeate every child, every young person, every mother, every father, every elderly man and woman, every infirm and sick person, every person seeking hope and meaning in life, all those responsible in this society.

With these wishes, I entrust you all to the intercession and protection of the heavenly Mother and invoke upon you an abundance of Easter blessings with the warmest greetings.

Happy Easter to you

Vinko Cardinal Puljić
Archbishop Metropolitan of Vrhbosna