Dear Editor,
The piece titled, “Love unconditionally” (State Times, Off ‘D’ Cuff, March 31, 2018), rightly points out that we can move to the next level of our evolution as a compassionate being by loving unconditionally. As a matter of fact, suffering and death of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday was not in his own personal interests. It was a sacrifice in the best interests of our evolution so that we could become more conscious about the need for such unconditional love. It was, as it were, for the resurrection of divinity in us from its oblivion of sleep. The execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a church leader, who had to give his life for opposing Hitler, was another such crucifixion for the same cause.
Interestingly, January 30, 1948 was indeed a Friday. This day is observed as a Martyrs’ Day in our country. Nevertheless, it is another Good Friday. On January 28, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi had said, “If I am to die by the bullet of a mad man, I must do so smiling. God must be in my heart and on my lips. And if anything happens, you are not to shed a single tear.”
On the day of Mahatma’s crucifixion, he walked up to a prayer Mandap. At that time, a man came before Gandhiji. The man offered Pranam by bending his body at a distance of less than two yards. Gandhiji returned the salute. The man remarked, “You are late today for the prayer.” Gandhiji smiled and replied, “Yes, I am.” But at that moment the man pulled out a revolver and fired three shots from point-blank range. The bullets pierced the frail body of the great leader. Gandhiji collapsed. The assassin was seized by the people who had come to attend the prayer.
Thus, another crucifixion was staged on another Friday. The Good Friday of January 30,1948 halted the juggernaut of religious fanaticism as people realised the inherent danger of it. As a matter of fact, such Good Fridays made our ongoing evolution from brutality to humanity possible. We still have miles to go but past progress from primitive society to feudalism to police state capitalism to modern welfare state confirms that ours is an ascending evolution. However, Jesus is still to suffer on the cross to get us going.
Sujit De,
Kolkata