Russians recall victory over Nazi Germany

Below is the Thinking Anew column in today's Irish Times

It's been a week of commemoration and celebration across Europe. On Wednesday it seemed as if all of Russia was in Red Square attending the victory parade in honour of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Earlier, newly elected German President, Joachim Gauck attended a celebration in the Netherlands marking the day the country was liberated from Nazi Germany.
Sixty seven years ago this week the world breathed a sigh of relief. Nazi Germany had been defeated, the gates of concentration camps had been thrown open.
In the months and years that followed, the world heard of the terrible evil that hed been perpetrated.
At the trial of Adolf Eichmann one of his interviewers was quite shocked at the demenaour of the man. He was expecting to see a monster but what he saw was just an 'ordinary man'.
We have also learned of the extraordinary stories of the remarkable goodness and love carried out by people during that time of evil and turmoil.
It's important to recognise that goodness and love just as evil and hatred are not the exclusive 'property' of any group, class or nation. Nor are they characteristics that are locked in to any particular timeframe.
In tomorrow's Gospel Jesus tells his followers: "If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete." (John 15: 10 - 11)
Later in the passage he tells them that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends.
The passage concludes, "My command to you is to love one another".
One coud really say that the words of Jesus are simply shocking in their simplicity and clarity.
There are no ifs and buts about it. We have been asked by Jesus, the Word incarnate to love one another.
And it's empty rhetoric to dream about times past and difficult situations in which we think we would rise to the plate.
This very day each one of us has the opportunity and indeed the privilege to accept the 'command' of Jesus and make it our business to 'love one another'.
It might well sound abstract to say that God is love, it might also sound almost 'pious' to say that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. But if we could really make that idea our own, there might be the possibility that when we are criticisng or being nasty to another person, we might just stand back and realise that the person we are attacking is a creature of God.
Of course people do evil and terrible things and there is never a question of accepting or lying under wrong doing. But the challenge is to answer the command of Jesus - to love one another.
It's easy to be kind and gracious towards those we like. It is another matter altogehter to extend our kindenss and even charm to those who annoy and upset us.
But isn't that one of the extraordianry massages of the New Testament that we are asked to give a special place in our hearts and minds for those who are marginalisted, those who are not part of the beautiful set. And that's never easy.
It's worth noting, in these days when Euroepan cities celebrated the victory over Nazi Germany, Europe is experiencing difficulties and poor people are suffering as a result of the financial and economic crisis. In this turmoil too we have to be particularly gentle and kind to the weakest and marginalised. And that surley can only be done in a meaningful and worthwhile manner in the spirit of the founding fathers of what was then known as the Common Market and now the European Union.
As the followers of Jesus it is our task, our privilege to inccarnate love in the world, in our surroundings, just as he did, even when it is costly.
Michael Commane OP