A few years ago, a Jewish lady came up from Melbourne to speak to the students at Donald Secondary College the day before ANZAC Day.

She described, as a child of 12, watching her grandfather being assaulted and strangulated in front of the children by Nazi soldiers, her father taken away and imprisoned, the family’s money and valuables confiscated, their school closed, all Jewish businesses closed down — and all Jews forced to wear a yellow star.

The girl, Eva, suffered many humiliations. She was used for medical “experiments”. By the time her prison was liberated, she was on the point of death from starvation.

After more years of fear, in and out of hiding, the survivors of her family were able to migrate to Australia — where she surprised herself by enjoying a peaceful and happy life from then until now . . . .

* * *

She told the students, “I would like to express deeply felt gratitude to the people of Australia for their generosity of spirit, for granting me and my family refuge in this land of opportunity, mateship, freedom and equality. God bless Australia.”

* * *

Every ANZAC Day we, too, should thank God for what is good in this country.

We should also look hard at ourselves and resolve to remain a nation which lives by the virtues that helped people like Eva in the past.

Anzac Day this coming Wednesday.
That gives you time to nip down to the local library and grab a copy of a book written 40 years ago about one Anzac Day in the life of one fictional boy.
Five pages from the end of the book it says:
“Did Margaret know that he had fought for her? Did she care? Was this the way it was with wars? The people you fought for not caring. Did you fight for nothing? After it was all over did they all go home, not looking back, shrugging it off, forgetting that you weren’t the same any more?”
* * *
Why did he say that?
You have to read the book to find out.
It is a book about a particular boy.
It is a book about all of us.
It is a very odd book.
It is a very good book.
It is called “Bread and Honey”
Author: Ivan Southall.

The media did notice that yesterday was Good Friday.

Cardinal Pell’s Easter message helped me in my attempts to reflect on the meaning of the season.

www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-06/archbishops-deliver-easter-message/3936874

* * *

Cardinal Pell’s message compelled listeners/viewers to consider the struggle between good and evil.

Was he saying that the death and resurrection of Christ is best understood as a struggle between good and evil?

Yes and No.

The crucifixion of Christ was not merely one struggle between good and evil.

His crucifixion was THE struggle between good and evil.

That’s what it means to take seriously the claim of the man Jesus to be God.

That’s where the Christian faith parts company with other world views.

Any “social capital” needed to generate fairness, respect etc. depends on relating every motive and endeavour to God who creates and redeems us.

To deny this is to miss the Easter opportunity.

* * *

Less helpful was media coverage of Filipino Christians crucifying themselves, the thoughts of Father Bob Maguire etc.

Such individuals’ efforts may be motivated by real devotion but, for most people, are distractions not inspirations.

The Pope hopes that his Cuba visit will give Cuban Catholics – about half of Cuba’s population – a bit of encouragement.

He has already criticised their Marxist political system, saying it “no longer corresponds to reality“.

True, Cuba’s government is old-style Communism.

They’ve made minimal concessions to western-style market economics.

They’ve attempted to spread Communism by interfering in the affairs of Nicaragua, Angola etc. — and would still do it if they had any money.

They’ve exported doctors to Pacific nations hoping for some ideological influence.

Their Communism is blind faith in centrally-based brute power, plus sloganising about — but not practising — rights, liberty, equality, fraternity etc.

The other side of its coin is obliteration of religion and religion-based morality.

* * *

Yet are not the nations most harmed by the Communist mentality those which have never seen themselves as Communist?

Like Australia?

Australia’s media are so anti-religion it is a joke – not a very good joke.

Our journalists, so ignorant of what religion is, so happy to mock it without doing any homework . . . .

Yet today’s Church tends to avoid confrontation of the neo-marxist establishment, copying their rights-liberty-equality vocabulary.

Even Pope Benedict does it . . . .

* * *

The Pope talks “religious liberty”.

Does that mean the state should treat all religions equally?

I don’t think it does.

Does the Pope  spell out clearly enough that what we need is governments which are overtly Catholic?

The Christian era of history started at the moment of the conception of Jesus Christ (celebrated usually on March 25 the “Feast of the Annunciation”).

The Bible describes the angel visiting the Blessed Virgin, announcing to her what was happening:

“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

“The angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

“She was troubled, thinking within herself what manner of salutation this should be.

“And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.”

(St Luke’s Gospel, chapter 1)

* * *

That greeting of the angel has been used ever since by Christians as a prayer, usually worded as follows:

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen”

* * *

Mother of God?

A belief not compatible with any other belief system.

Not negotiable for Catholics.

“Dialogue” with other faiths is not really a possibility.

Christianity is a religion to which the purpose of converting others is central.

Last Sunday, US soldier, Sergeant Robert Bales, allegedly left his base and killed 16 civilians in a nearby Afghan village.

What made him do it?

* he is on his fourth Middle Eastern tour of duty, has seen too much bloodshed and perhaps just “cracked up”.

* the rampage followed soon after his seeing a colleague blown more or less to pieces.

* he may also have been consuming alcohol.

* * *

The politicians are making politician responses.

President Karzai wants American troops kept away from villages: “This has been going on for too long. This behaviour cannot be tolerated.”

Mr Obama says justice will be done. (He was smart getting Bales out of Afghanistan where he would have been tortured, maybe crucified).

But will he get justice in America?

Mr Obama needs to please all kinds of interests on whom his political survival depends.

He may need a scapegoat.

* * *

This kind of horrible event always happens in every war.

War is so awful, so subhuman.

There is no easy answer.

The US and friends should never have invaded Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s a bit late to talk about that.

We had all better pray hard for peace.

And live for peace.

“O God, Creator of the universe, you are Father of every living creature.

You guide the events of history.

We beg you, break down the hatreds and discords of mankind.

Make us ready for reconciliation.

Send forth your Spirit to work in the intimacy of hearts.

Help us to commit ourselves to search for true peace and to have the charity which overcomes hatred and disarms revenge.”