Message from the General Superior

Easter Message from the General Superior

“How could we have done this to each other!“ was the exclamation of one of Kisumu’s residents as we walked together through the looted commercial centre of this hitherto peaceful and welcoming Kenyan lakeside town.  Triggered by a flawed and corrupt election process, political rivalry arrayed itself in the clothes of ethnic conflict. Enthusiasm for structural change descended into mindless violence and anarchy. Those belonging to certain, different ethnic groups had their homes and businesses destroyed and were driven out of town.

It is reported that there have been 1,500 deaths and 300,000 people have been displaced throughout the country. These figures are undoubtedly conservative. Peace has now returned: the process of reconciliation has hardly begun.

Sometimes it can feel as if the darkness only seems to deepen in our world, for in spite of the overwhelming evidence of goodness at the heart of humanity, the shadow side of human nature often seems to have the upper hand.

Across our Mill Hill world, we are all in special contact with the effects of what happens when people choose to exploit, dominate and use each other. The ugly fruits of this are only too obvious: poverty, ignorance, marginalisation, oppression, violence, demonisation and more.

As bearers of Good News, we are in a privileged position to invite people to discover ways of healing and empowerment. We can point with confidence to the Risen One as someone who was familiar with suffering and acquainted with death.  We can claim with an inner certainty that no matter how thick the darkness may be and no matter how savage humanity can become, or however hopeless the situation might appear, the light of God’s goodness will cut a path through the darkness in order to reveal what is possible when people discover they belong together, and are equally dependent on each other for their mutual happiness and wellbeing.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ assures us that none of our efforts in His Name are in vain. A whisper of forgiveness, a word of encouragement, a smile of approval, a nod of encouragement, a touch of acceptance, a prayer of hope, a blessing of goodness: all these are signs of the victory God has won for us in Jesus Christ.  Salvation from the evil we do to each other and our planet will only come when we can trust in the hope promised by Jesus’ resurrection.

At Easter we celebrate God having the last word on sin, on suffering, on evil and on death, as we exclaim: 

Christ is risen! Christ has conquered! Darkness vanishes forever!

Brendan, Jos and Michael join me in wishing you a very happy Easter.