Activism
Bearing witness
I’ve been a member of Amnesty International for years. They do fantastic work against torture and repression, standing up for justice and truth. Membership is an easy way to feel I’m doing my bit.
For all of those years, I’ve received the regular Amnesty newsletter. Which I’ve always glanced at and dropped in the recycling, largely unread.
Why? Because it’s too painful.
The things human beings do to each other are appalling. The scale of institutional and individual violence is staggering. I have not had the strength to open myself to the intimate knowledge of horror described in the pages of this newsletter.
…and he said to them, ‘My heart is ready to break with grief. Stop here, and stay awake with me.’
Matthew 36, 38
On this Good Friday morning, I have tried to stay awake. I have read in the Amnesty newsletter about Calvaries today all over the world, often in the words of ordinary people, not journalists.
And I’ve also read about the success of campaigns to release people from prison, about extraordinary bravery under oppression, about redemption and the potential for resurrection.
Sometimes we can act, sometimes all we can do is bear witness by staying awake.
Dark clouds had come up and hidden the burning sun. It grew darker and darker, and by twelve o’clock it was like night. But there was none of the kindly coolness of night, for it was earthquake weather, stifling and hot…
When things are frightening and uncanny, and that deep unexplainable fear of something or other that is always at the back of one’s mind comes forward and captures the whole mind, men go home if they can. They feel safer there. And so we can feel sure that the only people who remained close to the cross now were the centurion and his men, whom discipline and obedience to duty kept there, afraid or not afraid, and those to whom home was wherever Our Lord was, even though that might be on a lonely hill in the darkness beneath the cross. As Our Lord passes now into the deepest and most dreadful part of his agony, it is comforting to think that hatred and mockery had drawn back, leaving only obedience, courage and love to watch with him.
From God So Loved the World, by Elizabeth Goudge
Discussion
9 comments for “Bearing witness”
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“sometimes all we can do is bear witness by staying awake.” indeed! thanks for this wonderful reminder…staying awake somehow feels hard these days…xxooxoxoxoxoox
Thank you, Tess, for giving me something to reflect on this Good Friday morning.
I confess I did not do much proper preparation for Holy Week. Maybe I can turn things around today. Thank you for helping me focus.
(I’ve been aware of the good work of AI but you’ve motivated me to do more research on its work. One of my difficulties is knowing whether one should belong to many groups and contribute a little to each, or belong to a few and give more…..perhaps it doesn’t matter as long as you choose one of these options.)
Blessings to you this Easter weekend.
A wonderful reading which I will carry with me into the Godd Friday service.
Good Friday
Elizabeth Goudge’s quote re “obedience, courage, and love” at the foot of the cross is a comforting thought and one that never would have occurred to me in the midst of Good Friday grief. Thank you for sharing it.
xoxoxo
Your post complements Maggi Dawn’s Good Friday post, which I read earlier this afternoon. In it she says,
“Rocha’s sculpture also calls to mind the fact that Jesus endured real, vile torture to the point of death. As we remember Jesus, let’s also pray with compassion, and act in courage on behalf of those who are victims of torture somewhere in the world today. How? You have to find out.”
Thank you all for your comments, and Elaine for the pointer to Maggi’s post as well. Also, I know exactly what you mean about your quandary on many groups or few - I struggle with the same thing.
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