Easter Wish
Huijbergen
02/04/2010
Dear Brothers,
While spring brings the hidden life forces around us to light, we reflect upon and celebrate the vitality of our cross-border human existence. The liturgy with its symbols of water, light and dark, helps us to look back on our lives and forewords at our own future, where life and death are waiting. Anyone who has lived for another, serving and forgiving, sincere and courageous as Jesus did, can not be eliminated. He gives himself and lives on in all those who participated in him. He has become a life-giving energy.
Our communities are designed for this life-giving energy in our own way, as person and as community, by our way of life and work. We know from experience how our communities can be life-giving but also burdening. We can support, but also a source of crippling energy to each other. Suffering to ourselves and suffer to each other are inextricably linked. The degree we appreciate someone is determined by our readiness to suffer for / to him. The extent to which we may burden each another, shows how much we appreciate each other, and this is determined again by the vitality that we pass to each other. Jesus in his inhuman suffering went far, by his unconditional appreciation for us he shares his boundless vitality with us.
Up to now our congregation committed itself to the future of others, and we try sincerely to give priority to those who have the least opportunities to develop themselves. The vulnerability of others in our tradition determines the value that we assign to him. The weaker one is the more precious he is in our eyes, the more we like to serve him. That is the direction that our predecessors over 150 years have given to the congregation.
It is therefore deeply regrettable that some people in their youth, including through our brothers, felt disregarded and even abused. Upon receiving these messages, both directly and indirectly, make me feel very ashamed and fall short in offering barred excuses. As a congregation we suffer because of the inability to respond to our ideals of respect and caring service. Although the spout of messages and emotions does the truth no good, this should not lead us to defence or close our eyes for a number of serious mistakes.
The recognition of both our own frailty and the influence of Jesus life giving energy in us, can result in a conversion that brings us both closer to ourselves and closer to God. This conversion, which leads to greater humility, a deeper faith and a joyful more respectful approach of vulnerable people, I wish us all very much for coming to Easter.
