January 27
Remembering the victims, the executioners and the righteous who opposed them and who saved human lives. Among these figure many ecclesial realities. In fact, precisely within the abyss of evil, an evil that seems all-encompassing, there is also the reality of goodness. So commemorating the victims, condemning the perpetrators, and honoring the righteous is a fundamental political, civic, moral, cultural and spiritual exercise that is essential for all.
“The Shoah teaches us to always maintain the highest level of vigilance, in order to be able to intervene immediately in defense of human dignity and peace. I should like to express my closeness to every witness of the Shoah still living”: these words spoken by Pope Francis a few days ago, at Rome’s main synagogue, best exemplify the significance of the Holocaust Remembrance Day that has become a recurrence of civil life for two sets of reasons: first of all, for the duty of remembering. Second and most importantly, since the last witnesses, the survivors of the Holocaust, are no longer alive, testifying to that unimaginable tragedy has become a duty, a joint commitment, since Nazi barbarism – the plan to exterminate all Jews to affirm the purity of the race – extended worldwide. Thus, the importance of preserving the memory: of the victims, of the executioners as well as of the righteous who opposed them and saved human lives. Among them figure many ecclesial realities. Because, precisely in the abyss of evil, an evil that seems all encompassing, there is also the reality of goodness. So commemorating the victims, condemning the perpetrators and honoring the righteous is a fundamental political, civic, moral, cultural and spiritual exercise that is essential for all.
We will never do enough to raise awareness of this threefold, interrelated memory, to reiterate in full awareness “Never again!”
and to reaffirm with sound realism that against evil disguised as ideology and politics we can and we must oppose ourselves. Even despite defeats, suffering, and death, we can succeed. Ultimately, unity leads to success. Fortunately there is nothing inevitable in history. Even what seemed and was absolute evil. It is no coincidence that the Day of Remembrance falls on the day of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp. Let us remember that those who accurately planned and carried out the murder of millions of people on the basis of pantheistic and pagan belief, by persecuting the Jewish people were persecuting God in history. And they lost. And we should remember that for such defeat to occur it was necessary to fight with all means available.
By recurring every year Holocaust Remembrance Day is commemorated at an ever-changing moment in history.
It is the second reflection. Today’s reality is ever-more focused on the Middle East, but it is “globalized”, it is the reality of a piecemeal Third World War, as Pope Francis accurately synopsized. Every year we view with ever-renewed horror – as we must never get accustomed to it – the first footage shot by incredulous operators in Auschwitz, 71 years ago, on the aftermath of the liberation. Today everything takes place in real time: contemporary executioners kill, rape, enslave, destroy, in the name of religion, of race. And they enjoy showing us the most gruesome details. While it is true that the Shoah has absolutely specific features, it is equally true that contextualizing the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day motivates us to react, to fight, always, in the present, for truth, freedom, justice and peace. That ultimately win.
Argomenti
Giorno della Memoria-Holocaust Remembrance Day
Olocausto – Holocaust
Persone ed Enti
Papa Francesco – Pope Francis
