Easter is symbolic of New Life

Easter is symbolic of New Life-New perception-fullness and wholeness of being and ultimately Liberation. This is what Easter is to me. It was hence with a happiness and joy that I understood Aung San Suu Kyi’s triumph. Her sweeping victory signals a new beginning. As she so well stated in the landslide victory of her party that it is people’s victory. This victory did not come easily for Aung San Suu Kyi.She had grit-she had determination and courage and above all she had hope. She sacrificed-her personal freedom-left her family and opted to stand by her people against all odds. She did this without much world support-This frail woman stood 20 years of hardships-was put under arrest and led a lonely life. But she stood by her principles. She wanted her people to be liberated-till that nothing would deter her.

Rightly the world acknowledged this woman’s courage and she was awarded the Nobel prize.The Nobel Peace Prize laureate adhered to non-violence against the military junta. She had just one desire-to restore democracy for her people.The underlying notion of democracy is people’s power being supreme. She had faith in that and hence nothing would hinder or deter her resolve. This is Easter-liberation from all that is oppressive-suppression and the human spirit triumphs above everything. Death is no obstacle because Easter defies death-death from sin, from human avarice, from human discrimination,from human inequality from human bondage and stands towards the upholding of all that is supremely divine. This divinity lies within every human person.

Aung San Suu Kyi thus stands as an icon for this liberation from death-liberation from sin and liberation of that which is encased within. The free spirit of the human cannot be kept in bondage-not for long. This is a lesson which Suu Kyi teaches us and that comes just a week prior to Easter when the Catholics all over the world will celebrate Easter. It is best understood not as an event of one man rising from the death-but it brings in symbolically what one Man did achieve-Truth cannot be crucified. It will rise again. That is today exemplified in Suu Kyi’s victory.It did not come easily. But it did ultimately come-through denial through suffering the tremendous ability to withstand suffering did sprout. It called for supreme sacrifice which she was prepared for. Nothing was too much for her people’s liberation and she won it.

Time and again in the world such Suu Kyis arise-they stand up for what they believe. Selfish vested interest-power mongers and power brokers need to heed this message that ultimately the Spirit of the Human cannot be enslaved. To Suu Kyi then my Easter salutations and I wish many more like her would arise-for within the frail body lies a steely resolve to fight till the end. There is a psalm which reads ‘Why did you do this to my people’-.I feel the same cry coming from within me looking at the Indian political class -the netas and the babus-why do you do this to my people? Why this all round corruption? Why this fleecing? Why this avarice? why this hoarding? why this sinfulness? Why this greed? Why this oppression? Why this deceit? Why this neglect? Why this vest interest?-whither are you going? Will not the reckoning Day come? Will not the Spirit that is lying encased with the poor resurrect and will not nemesis overtake you?
So here is a lesson from out neighboring country-Myannar- Do not belittle the power of the poor and the oppressed and do not think that you can escape the punishment of crime and scams. The Oppressed will rise and from their midst will rise Suu Kyis to lead the people to liberation-freedom and true democracy. May that Day dawn soon and may Easter become true to the millions of my people who are in starvation, ill health and disease. May they see the end of their sufferings and may their spirits triumph….

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