We Need to Pray the Way We Never Have Before
Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili
Translated from Georgian by Rusudan Gotsiridze.
Martin Luther King, Jr. used to say, "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." This means that people always strive for justice, whether consciously or unconsciously. In order for this aspiration to come true, all generations must participate in building that justice. Without it, there is no freedom, no democracy, no appreciation of diversity, no brotherhood, and no unity.
What is happening now in the capital city and in the whole country of Georgia (Sakartvelo) is indeed the fight for justice. The best we have today as a country, as a culture, as a society, is the young generation, born and raised in freedom. They are fully involved in the building of this justice. Their invincible weapons are sincerity, kindness and love. We should all take very good care of each of them. That is why it is even greater injustice to demonize our youth, to oppress and discredit them. Furthermore, it is unjust not to listen to their voices, to turn a deaf ear and turn a blind eye to their concerns.
It is also unjust when they fool us and convince us that black is white and white is black. As the ancients used to say: “As if the yogurt is black and the buffalo is white.”
It is unjust when the people who serve our motherland and defend our fragile state borders are beaten up so brutally that it is heard to recognize them.
It is unjust when you throw a young man in prison for no reason and, as soon as he is pardoned and released, you grab him and hold him again. For what? For loving his motherland?
It is unjust when you hurt your neighbor and please your enemy. Why?
It is unjust when women, mothers, are dragged by their hair by those who you paid to protect these same women. What is this madness?
It is unjust when you hinder the fulfillment of the centuries-old cherished dream of your people, to be free, open, democratic, equal, like a mythical dragon. Why do you want to undermine the future of your children?
It is unjust when, instead of thanking the boys and girls who love freedom, you beat them with batons, shoot them with bullets, and blind them with pepper spray. Didn't you grow up in a family? Did no one teach you love and human compassion?
It is unjust when you are appointed to protect justice and you pervert justice. Why can’t you stop? Why can’t you see the red lines you should not cross? It is unjust when you convince yourself that this injustice is justice! I am so sorry for you; why are you doing this to yourself?
Everyone should know that in the fight against this injustice, it is better to be oppressed than to be an oppressor! It is better to be beaten for justice than to beat others unjustly. It is better to be a receiver of threatening phone calls (from Azerbaijani and Turkish numbers) or ambushed in hallways, rather than for you to threaten others. It is better for your reputation to be unfairly compromised than for you to discredit someone else's name.
It is better to have your breathy voice cry for freedom than to be silent and watch your children and brothers and sisters being oppressed by the children and brothers and sisters of others. It is better to be on the side of the oppressed and to lose something, than to be on the side of the oppressor and benefit from it. It's better to stand under an ice-cold water cannon and inhale pepper spray than to spray water and pepper spray on someone else.
Why? Why? Why? Why is it so hard to understand?
For God is always on the side of the oppressed and not on the side of the oppressor. It has always been so and always will be. God is with those who fight for justice selflessly, but not with those who fight against justice for their own benefit. God is not with those who hinder others to pray, but with those who pray.
Now, I want to say something, which may sound like I am just fulfilling my professional duties. However, it is much more than that. I say that there is no fight without prayer. (Please do not be frightened by the religious nature of the word “prayer,” and continue reading.)
Prayer is not just the automatic chanting of texts, nor the kneeling down in front of an altar. Prayer is fighting for the truth, staying outdoors in the rain and cold. Prayer is fighting for support and reconciliation! Prayer is supporting those who are standing in the streets in protest. Prayer is caring for our four legged friends who bark at robocops and protect protesters. (How do they know who they are supposed to protect and to whom to bark?)
On Easter night, we all celebrated the Easter liturgy in our own churches. But the greatest liturgy was celebrated that night by our young people on Rustaveli Avenue, where absolutely diverse people (Christians, Muslims, Jews, Yazidis, religious, non-religious), united by the love of their motherland and thirst for justice, stood together with lighted candles in their hands and sang hymns together.
And now, I really come to my main point. We need to pray the way we have never prayed before! We all should pray, whether we do pray or have never prayed at all.
Prayer is a struggle for justice and we will win! It has always been and it will always be the way. Be strong, be strengthened, and be courageous in the love for justice and freedom. Do not get tired of doing what makes life worth living.
Injustice has already been vanquished and defeated. For those who are oppressed in the cause of justice, are already winners. Pity those who oppose justice, and please never bear any grudge against them. They are just prodigal children who sometimes return home!
