When most Germans, even Church people, opted for silence or acquiescence with the regime, Dietrich Bonhoeffer opted for opposition. The Lutheran pastor joined the resistance and got involved in the plot against Hitler. His faith pushed him to do that.
He was assassinated just one month before Germany capitulated. But today Bonhoeffer lives on in glory. A shameful remembrance is the heritage of those who were servile to power.
Bonhoeffer knew that freedom has a price tag and he paid the highest price. In his book Ethics, Bonhoeffer included four short prose/poems describing self-discipline, action, suffering and death as “Stations of the Way to Freedom”.
He did not cower in front of the mighty. Their arrogance did not paralyse him into inaction. Their power did not make him lose hope. The fact that he was in a minority did not make him lose heart. He did what he believed that had to be done.
I particularly like his reflections on action as the second station on the way to freedom:
“Do and dare what is right, not swayed by the whim of the moment.
Bravely take hold of the real, not dallying now with what might be.
Not in the flight of ideas but only in action is freedom.
Make up your mind and come out into the tempest of living.
God’s command is enough and your faith in him to sustain you.
Then at last freedom will welcome your spirit amid great rejoicing.”
Google “Stations of the Way to Freedom” and read them all. Every phrase of each one of them is an inspiration.
I remembered these poems by Bonhoeffer while reading the fantastic document released on ---Wednesday by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Malta. The document, which referred twice to the great German theologian, marked the first month of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The Commission is, no doubt, inspired by the strong leadership shown by the Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, in the aftermath of this assassination which shocked, among many others, the Pope, the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the world media.
Sitting on the fence is not an option for Christians
In stark comparison, many in Malta were not shocked while others celebrated. Others opted for silence even though their office demanded the taking of a firm position. History will record their shameful abdication of duty.
The document of the Justice and Peace Commission appeals for unity and peace. But their appeal is not for the cheap type of peace and national unity which has been mechanically parroted by those who are not ready to face the horror besieging us. Instead of challenging the demons that enslave us they just papered over the cracks. In reaction, the Commission aptly quotes Martin Luther King: “We will need to repent in this generation not just for the evil deeds of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.”
The Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Malta, in line with constant Church teaching, appeals for national unity and peace based on truth, justice, freedom and love. Whenever one of these foundation stones is missing there can be no unity or peace. The common good is not served by inane talk but by an introspective analysis of both the sociopolitical situation as well as our own attitudes, words and actions. We have to courageously point fingers at ourselves before pointing fingers at others.
In my commentary of November 5 titled ‘Most Maltese Don’t Care’ I painted quite a dismal picture of the situation we are in. Daphne’s last blog warned us: The situation is desperate.
This realistic assessment of the Malta’s situation should not drive us into inaction.
Sitting on the fence is not an option for Christians. “Mere waiting and looking on is not Christian behaviour” is one of Bonhoeffer quotes correctly used by the J&P Commission.
Using Bonhoeffer’s words, the Commission urges us to “make up your mind and come into the tempest of the living”. Such active involvement is the only honourable way forward.
Democracy no
Oh my! Oh my! The government has become a great aficionado of civil society.
Last Tuesday The Times of Malta quoted Minister Helena Dalli saying that the government is ready to listen to civil society about abortion while urging the same civil society to push the abortion debate forward.
On the following day Minister Evarist Bartolo met the social partners and civil society to discuss the government’s plans for the University.
Thousands have marched on consecutive Sundays demanding that the institutions that should defend us should in fact defend us. These institutions are continuously behaving worse than the three proverbial Chinese monkeys. They now cover up for the corrupt.
Abortion and University yes, democracy no is government’s new mantra.
Even civil society is discovering that there is a law for the gods and one for the animals.
joseph.borg@um.edu.mt