Scarcely did we cry for the victims, as in Ouagadougou, that already another rupture became evident. We will never finish to dress our wounds because we are also Ouagalais. We are opposed to these criminals of the children of the world.
So, can we endure? In the deepness of our grief, while our hearts are closed again, not to let hate enter in; to resist that murderous madness blinding our souls, not to permit evil to enter us, like venom without an antidote, but even in our pain to cultivate kindness among us, to sustain liberty we ancor our selves to sail against the wind and tide of violence and desolation in the hope for this world which is ours and that of God.
I am reminded of this citation, attributed wrongly without doubt, but that is not important, to Martin Luther, “the father of reform”. If I learned that the end of the world would happen tomorrow, "I nevertheless would want to plant my apple tree today”. Not to give up planting some seeds, to act in favor of that which gives life, like planting an apple tree. Build projects, weave and reweave the links. Respect. Love. Fight for the rights of all and of each one.
Yes, planting an apple tree demands more courage than all the unclean and criminal acts of these men without faith or law who do not know anything except how to kill and destroy.
Our apple trees will end by prevailing. Despite all our tears and trembling, we keep our hearts vigilant. May they not plunge into the darkness.
And may our poor entreaties rise toward God whose only activity is to love, for the families, friends, neighbors who this night have seen their lives shattered into a thousand pieces, their hearts broken, without any reason.
"It seems to me more and more clearly with each beat of my heart that God cannot help us. But it is up to us to help and defend up to the end the home that He makes refuge in us”.
Etty Hillesum, died at Auschwitz at 29 years old in 1943.
Sagrada Familia, Facade of the Passion