Opinion

Holy Week reflection: Bishop Donal McKeown - Easter answers the virus of evil

TODAY is Holy Saturday. You might well ask what was good or holy about someone being crucified in the midst of news about war, disease and tragedy.

Even from a non-religious perspective, there is a strange wisdom in looking at events in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.

It is the perennial story about jealousy, betrayal, brutality. There is no future in shying away from reality and embracing what one author called "the globalisation of superficiality".

Strong people defend their power base. Crowds can be remarkably fickle. Bad things happen to good people. Even apparently good friends can be unreliable. Evil can seem to be victorious.

Holy Week offers an antidote to the 'violence is victorious' virus. It speaks of One who faces the reality of human evil, but is not crushed by it.

Václav Havel wrote that faith is a belief not that all will work out well, but that, however things work out, all will be well.

So let us together, as an Easter people, be inspired by faith, love and hope now more than ever.

Dr Donal McKeown

Bishop of Derry