Quand j’étais petite j’avais l’impression que l’ennemi était toujours l’autre, celui/celle qui était différent(e). Il y avait des oppositions naturelles: les cowboys et les indiens; les anglais et les français; les terriens et les martiens et même dans certains cas les jeunes et les vieux; les femmes et les hommes…
En vieillissant, j’ai appris malgré moi que la vérité est tout autre. Les gens qui nous blessent, qui nous font de la peine, qui brisent nos coeurs sont trop souvent des proches, des gens avec qui nous avons beaucoup d’affinitiés. Parfois ce sont des gens qui auraient dû nous guider et même nous protéger. Ce sont des personnes qui nous ont fait des promesses, avec qui nous avons oser rêver d’un futur meilleur. Au lieu, ils ont pris avantage de nos faiblesses, de notre crédulité et même de nos plus profonds espoirs.
Trop souvent je me suis posée la question: “Pourquoi?”, “Qu’est-ce qu’il y a à gagner?” Jusqu’à présent je n’ai pas encore trouvé de raisons valables qui justifieraient de telles trahisons. Appât du gain, mieux paraître devant les autres, jalousie, peur de prendre une position pas populaire, ne valent pas la satisfaction d’avoir de bons et loyaux amis, des collègues précieux et une conscience en paix.
En ce début d’année 2019, je tiens à remercier tous les ami(e) fidèles, tous les gens qui osent dire la vérité même quand elle n’est pas populaire ou apprécier. Merci à ceux qui disent non au harcèlement, à ceux qui font tout pour protéger les plus vulnérables. Bravo à Gillette qui ose lancer un appel à chaque homme de se regarder dans le miroir et de faire une instropection à savoir s’il est la meilleure personne possible. Ce défi ne devrait pas faire peur à personne!
A few days ago, I read how Jesus heals a man’s withered hand in the synagogue on a Sabbath. The Pharisees, who had been waiting to see what Jesus would do, go out and “immediately conspired with the Herodians against Jesus, how to destroy him.”
So WHAT?
When I was young, I was under the impression that the enemy was the “other,” those who were different, those who were naturally contrary or opposed to me. It was so clear, there were the cowboys and the Indians; the French and the English; the earthlings and the martians; in more subtle ways the young and old; men and women…
As I grew up, I realized that the truth was not so simple! The lines that separated the allies from the foes were not always so clear cut, so black and white. People that hurt us, that break our heart are too often dear to us; people that we think we know well, people with whom we have much in common. They are the men and women who made promises to us, with whom we had dared to dream. They are the very people that should have guided us, protected us or simply journeyed with us to a better place. Instead, they took advantage of our weaknesses, of our trust in them and of our deepest longings.
Too often I wondered: “Why?” “What is there for them to gain?” The answers I found do not justify such betrayal. Greed, desire to belong, showing off, jealousy, fear of standing up, power are not worth loosing a good and faithful friend, precious colleagues, nor family members.
Jesus was crucified for doing good. Why? What is so frightening about a person doing good? The Pharisees and his opponents did not try to understand why or even how Jesus did things or what He said. They were only interested in silencing Him, in destroying Him. He was a threat!
While in Arviat, I was told that the good some do exposed the idleness of others. SO WHAT? It is one thing to do nothing, it is something else to get in the way of those trying to do the honorable thing! I have learned that there are people who have no conscience, who’s goal is to conquer no matter the cost but who also take pleasure in inflicting misery on others. Sadly most of us have encountered people like that. Like Jesus we are often captive of scrutiny that only seek to destroy us regardless of what we do or say. These people will succeed in breaking our heart, in thwarting our plans, they will even turn others against us. Then what?
Keep your chin up. Keep doing good! Stand up against bullying and harassment. Lend a hand. Rejoice in the good and faithful friends you have. Take pride in who you are. These people have a problem not you. They killed Jesus but His spirit lives in us. So will our spirit continue to live on!