Held at the same time as Ramadan, Easter is a bonding moment for solidarity

Here is a brief explanation of the meaning of Easter according to the General Chairperson of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), Reverend Gomar Gultom. According to Gomar, the Easter event is a moment when God releases humanity from darkness and death through Jesus Christ's resurrection.

Gomar stated that in the moment of Jesus' resurrection, humanity was invited to enter into a new life together with Christ who had overcome the "sting" of death with His death on the cross.

"By celebrating Easter, we are invited to live as instruments of Christ's truth, living our lives based on Christian ethics and integrity, namely truth, love, and freedom," said Gomar when contacted from Palangkaraya on Friday (March 29, 2024).

Also read: Easter, Failure of the Cross, and Democracy

Gomar added, with truth, love, and freedom, humans serve life together and fight against all forms of tyranny and injustice. "This togetherness is real for all of humanity, especially now that Easter is celebrated together with Ramadan," he said.

Easter, celebrated together with Ramadan, according to Gomar, is proof of togetherness and solidarity. He also invites all elements of the nation to interpret Easter and Ramadan in order to achieve a life full of victory.

Also read: Maundy Thursday Mass in Kupang, People are Invited to Practice Unlimited Love

"All of us, humans, are heading towards a victorious life by offering ourselves to sacrifice for one another, for a better shared life, inspired by Christ who sacrificed for us all," said Gomar.

Togetherness is one of the foundations for humans to achieve shared prosperity. However, shared prosperity cannot be achieved if humans forget another aspect, namely the environment.

The importance of preserving the environment was conveyed by the Santa Maria Parish Pastor, Palangkaraya City, Father Patris Tampu Pr. He explained that, in general, the Catholic church took the big theme "Economic-Ecological" as Easter theme 2024.

Patris explained that the number of humans in the world continues to increase, while the condition of the environment tends to be static. On the other hand, climate change that impacts the environment is also increasingly evident.

"Stop being greedy. Don't be selfish in utilizing the environment, see how forests are being cut down, rivers are being damaged, see the effects. Now in Kalimantan, floods continue to occur and they are getting worse," said Patris.

Also read: The Story of the Word Easter

All of us, human beings, lead a victorious life by making sacrifices for one another

Patris added that humans should be wiser in utilizing nature for their own needs. "Balanced life means taking care of each other, including nature, as humans also depend on nature," he said.

They added that in the series of Easter celebrations, Jesus showed sacrifice to redeem the sins of mankind. This sacrifice must also be made by humans, although it is not the same as Jesus' suffering on the cross.

Protecting the environment from damage, said Father Patris, is today's human responsibility. Happy Easter....

Also read: Easter and the Absence of Self