Free to believe in good

Today it seems that the entire civilized world we've known since childhood has become barbaric, taking us back in time to those dark ages when brute force ruled, not the ingenuity of invention, not the wisdom of construction, not the pursuit of knowledge. Everything that makes man human, everything that makes a continent civilized, seems to no longer matter in the eyes of many, lost behind the banner of immediate personal interest. Whatever the cost. We wage war with weapons and financial speculation, sometimes even just for the mirage of private and exclusive economic enrichment.

As a Christian, I think this is happening because the world has distanced itself from God. The end of history? I'm convinced not, that a new history can begin, starting precisely from the places where people are fighting for a piece of land in Ukraine, South Sudan, the Horn of Africa. Starting from the Holy Land. I still believe that if these two peoples—the Israelis and the Palestinians—who have so far placed too much emphasis on self and too little on God—learn to live together, to listen to the words of wisdom God has given them in the sacred texts, they will live free from hatred, and Jerusalem will truly be the world capital of peace, as its very name suggests. I still believe that the wise and good who live in war-torn lands can catalyze the best forces in society. May the wise and good who inhabit Europe, the American states, and every continent still teach us dedication to others, honesty, the humility in acknowledging one's own wrongs, and selfless service, free from partisan interests. I still believe that many engaged in politics today can help us take a deeper step, drawing inspiration from the great sages who preceded them, setting an example that even from the rubble of war, one can rise again by forging a pact of peace. Rediscovering together—as Sirach says—the reasons and meaning of our commitment to the common good. The recent anniversary of the Liberation of April 1945 brings to mind the value of freedom, demonstrated by the sacrifice of many who gave up their lives to ensure it again for all. These people now pass the baton to each of us, ordinary citizens of this world in flames. With determination and trust, let us help many, with the example of an honest life, rediscover the path of wisdom. To put this shattered world back together, to heal the fracture generated by inequalities that cause a dull resentment that closes the heart and impervious to the pain of others, seen as enemies of my own good, enemies of my peace. I continue to believe that the good, the beautiful, the true can still be the heritage of humanity.


Ernesto Olivero
NP in-depth
NP May 2025