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In the Midst of Death
01 April 1990
Among my mail a card from India stood out. On its cover was the photograph below, on its envelope a picture of Mahatma Gandhi in prison.
By JOHN LESTER
'In the midst of death life persists,
In the midst of untruth truth persists,
In the midst of darkness light persists.'We live in turbulent times, bombarded by a seemingly neverending torrent of words and comment. Sometimes, however, a strong image or a few simple thoughts capture the spirit of these days in a way that involves the soul.
Among my mail a card from India stood out. On its cover was the photograph below, on its envelope a picture of Mahatma Gandhi in prison.
Inside were Gandhi's words:
`In the midst of death life persists,
in the midst of untruth truth persists,
in the midst of darkness light persists.'
With the card came an explanation, written by Ramachandra Gandhi, one of Mahatma Gandhi's grandsons. He wrote:
`This card, along with its envelope, celebrates the survival of hope in our dark times. The child, acknowledging the humanity of the soldiers in the Tienanmen Square photograph reproduced on the card, powerfully illustrates the Gandhi text... The image of Mahatma Gandhi writing behind prison bars conveys the message that the voice of conscience cannot be silenced.
`The praying child rising above the violence symbolized by the helmets in the photograph represents also the Indian spiritual symbol of the lotus, the flower of aspiration which transcends the mud from which it arises. Strongly resurrectional in its symbolism, this card should be welcomed as a means of spiritual and fraternal communication starting with Christmas and the transitional period between the old and the new year through 30th January, which is the day of Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom, all the way up to Easter: and indeed at all times as a witness to the power of hope and the renewal of life.'
There is something here, for me, which sums up the potential of this moment.
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