When I was a child, I climbed up on a billboard to see our Heroes, Ratko Mladic, Karadzic, Arkan, and our solders heading for the firs line of fire. We waved flags and cheered. It was thrilling. I was proud that I could say, “I was there; I saw them.” I wonder what the people of Bethphage and Bethany thought as Jesus processed toward Jerusalem. It seems that their enthusiasm would quickly turn to disdain when he was captured, tried and put to death. Hero worship does not seem to enjoy a long shelf life.
Today when the excitement of the parade is over and the waving of the palms ceases, we should spend some time reflecting on the character of our heroes and specially those fallen in the war.
We should compare our suffering and hardship with the same of early Christians and Jesus. We don’t usually think of Jesus as a hero, but hero he is. We should try to understand why a week of betrayal and denial, of mockery and bloodshed is called holy.
Some of them are a heroes, but not in the traditional pattern of heroism. They actually looks more like a victim. They are not triumphant as we understand triumph. Instead they appears to be a failure. Judging by one set of standards—standards not unlike those of many people of his day— they have not met our expectations. But according to another standard—the standard of unconditional love—they have far surpassed our expectations.
But more than anybody else we should always remember those fallen in the first line of fire, those who had sacrificed their lives for us.
Today when the excitement of the parade is over and the waving of the palms ceases, we should spend some time reflecting on the character of our heroes and specially those fallen in the war.
We should compare our suffering and hardship with the same of early Christians and Jesus. We don’t usually think of Jesus as a hero, but hero he is. We should try to understand why a week of betrayal and denial, of mockery and bloodshed is called holy.
Some of them are a heroes, but not in the traditional pattern of heroism. They actually looks more like a victim. They are not triumphant as we understand triumph. Instead they appears to be a failure. Judging by one set of standards—standards not unlike those of many people of his day— they have not met our expectations. But according to another standard—the standard of unconditional love—they have far surpassed our expectations.
But more than anybody else we should always remember those fallen in the first line of fire, those who had sacrificed their lives for us.
I aan't understand what is wrong with you people on the Balkans. That circle of violence will never stop. What was wrong with Yugoslavia?
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