In Colombia, April 9th has
been declared The National Day of Remembrance
and Solidarity with the Victims of the Armed Conflict. On this day in 1948,
Jorge Eliecer Gaitán, one of the most charismatic leaders of Colombia, a lawyer
and ex-mayor of Bogota committed to social justice, and a presidential hopeful,
was assassinated on the streets of Bogota. The violence that Colombia is still
suffering today can be traced back to the consequences of this tragic event of
1948.
Yesterday (April 9th), we
attended an ecumenical commemoration, to remember the victims of the conflict, to
ask for forgiveness as churches for involvement (consciously or unconsciously)
in the violence, and to look forward to the challenges in building peace in
Colombia.
 |
| Gloria Gaitán (daughter of Jorge Eliecer Gaitán) is distributing the communion bread. |
 |
| Listening to one of Gaitán's famous speeches with the family was a moment of raw emotion. |
Pastor Nelson Celis of the IELCO was
invited to offer the opening prayer at the event:
Let us pray:
We make of our prophetic voice, a
permanent prayer:
the historical claim that, even though
hidden and silenced,
Truth seeks light, and memory longs for
reconciliation.
This is the time, caring and near God,
to rejoice,
from our diversity, and in the coming
together of sincere spirits,
to strive in the search and the finding
of justice,
in the communal construction of a stable
and lasting peace,
in the inclusive design of the pillars
of a new generation.
Our heart is ready for selfless service:
to the cause of the helpless, the poor
and the marginalized,
to be a challenging presence that
remembers the struggles of the martyrs,
for much is the blood poured into this
earth that screams: Never again!
We remain motivated by the rising hope,
Working on all fronts in compassionate harmony,
to put into action the curtailed
longings of those who,
like Gaitán, had the certainty that “the people are superior to their leaders”,
and they reaffirmed it with their
dedication. This certainty comes now to our days as a
powerful and lasting inspiration.
God of mercy,
Our prayer is addressed to you with a
voice that, although calm,
is not uneasy, because we trust in the
change that is happening.
It is a reality, and today, it is
symbolically represented here:
in the diverse sectors and expressions
of society that don’t get tired
of demanding justice, of keeping memory
as a bulwark,
of taking their just claims and shaking
up the corrupt establishment.
You, you listen to all, You, you are a
God who draws near to everyone,
that's why we cry out to You, that's why
we come before You,
stripped of hatreds and vindictive
intentions,
to ask for Your support, in the cause of
those, while forgotten by the State,
are always present in the voice of those
who speak on their behalf.
Accompany us in our cause, which is none
other than that of the Kingdom,
which Christ himself proclaimed! Kingdom
of Justice, peace and reconciliation.
To find the power of your Word, loving
God Mother/Father,
we can help restore those who have been
harmed
and, with our transforming actions, we accept
as our own,
the slogan of Father Camilo, that blessed
prophet who taught us
that “Love’s effectiveness is not achieved but with revolution.”
In your hands we are a renewed strength,
in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.