The suffering in the passion week!

I came across two news items below in the national dailies on 25.3.2024. The first is a news item in the Times of India about the hospitals under pressure to evacuate patients and others located in Gaza. The other photo clipping is from Malayala Manorama, of an injured child in the fighting that is going on between the Israeli army and the Palestinian resistance group. 

Every other day, there is some news of how children suffer in this protracted war, on account of sickness, injury, depleted food supply, and displacement or loss of members of family. 

I read the above news items about children and their several losses in grief and with a sense of loss. I do not remember such a prolonged situation of distress and anguish that people have had to suffer on account of war in the recent times. 

During this passion week, our garden has many Lilies in blossom. They to me symbolise the Easter Lilies, bringing some hope, about life subsuming unjustified suffering, as it happened in the case of Jesus of Nazareth. Those who crucified Him, as they no longer could bear His way of life of love and forgiveness  had a surprise on the third day. He had risen from his grave. It is this Easter reality that sustains many amidst despair and suffering.

I wish I could do more to feel with those who suffer pain and loss on account of the war ! What I can do is to send them the photo of the Easter Lilies from our garden, to share in their grief and hope for the message of Easter to carry them forward. 

I have a question for the rulers of Israel, who ignoring the loss and suffering of humans, continue their hunt for their opponents! Don't they realise that they have already almost eliminated the nation of Palestine since the war began in October 2023!

Let me call upon the president of Israel and the armed forces of Israel, to take a look at the rose bush below. They took away the lives of about 30, 000 Palestinians in the war. The able men and women of the Palestinian lineage are no more, most of them leaving behind children without parents or only one parent or with no siblings. The rose in their lives no more exists.  

Now the Israeli army is chasing to harm more, in order to take siege of the terrorists. In the process, the buds, the children of tomorrow are killed, injured, traumatised or orphaned!

How can you, as those in power, ignore the suffering of the innocent and callously pursue your only intent at the exclusion of all humanitarian considerations! Are there not options of negotiations!

I want to turn to the community of nations in the United Nations, and raise a question. As I look at the desert rose below, the open flower, symbolically represents the nation of Palestine, which  has been made to vanish through the war and displacement of people. 

When the open flower below is forcefully removed and is no more in its stalk, it is a loss that is far too much to comprehend! Let me ask the nations of the world, have you gone out of your way to save further devastation to the people of Palestine! Why is that humans matter less and we prolong their suffering!

As if that is not enough, the nations of the world passively allow the children to suffer and endure hardship beyond tolerance! It is as if, you want to take away the bud waiting to open from its stalk! The hundreds of children are buds, who are now threatened to be eliminated directly by the war or because of the hardship caused by deprivation and trauma of the war! It is as if we disregard the Palestinian race and their right of nationhood!

During this passion week, I have a suspicion that history repeats itself! 

In the narration of the plot to kill of Jesus of Nazareth in the 26th chapter of the book of Luke in the New Testament, a statement in verse 4 reads:'...they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him'. That was what they did few days after the passover feast. Even  Pilate after hearing all the false accusations against Jesus did not have a clue as to why Jesus had to be put to death. He turning to the people asked, 'Why, what evil has He done' (Luke27;23)! 

That is the same question resonating in my heart: what evil has the ordinary citizens of Palestine done? Why are they made to suffer and loose life, livelihood, and all what they posses - children,  houses, gardens, farms,...and a future for their children!

The passion of Jesus, his vicarious death and resurrection had a redemptive purpose!

I wish for the people of Palestine, redemption and hope! Till that can happen, the history of nations is marred with this human insensitivity to the suffering of many! 

A symbol that holds me to look forward for a respite from suffering for the people in Gaza,  is the fruits in the cashew tree in our garden, as shown in the photo below! It is summer time with high day temperature and humidity. Even in that adverse situations, the blossoms bear fruits!

It is a pointer to an abiding God in human lives, to whom we turn in prayer for the people of Palestine!

Let me send the photo of this cashew fruit from our garden to share how by waiting in hope a small beginning of a flower can become a fruit in due season. 

Let this hope sustain people of Palestine, till they can have their own home land and feel the joy of their farms flourish with fruits of their labour!

M.C.Mathew( text and photo)