The damage suffered in Peru since the end of last year until now marks the way in which Holy Week is being lived this year of 2023. The relationship between faith and life is close in many ways, and one of them is that the experience of faith feeds and illuminates what is lived in the present.
In today’s Peru, however, there are those who want to establish a disconnect between faith and life, thinking that Christ does not accompany our path, but is an implacable observant inquisitor. They consider that the Christian message aims to take away freedom and establish hierarchies among people. This is how it is explained that some Christians in the country think that there are people whose deaths are justified by a supposed “higher good”, or that the freedom and will of the people can be broken by manipulation and instrumentalization. There are also supposed fervent believers who continue to maintain that difficult times (such as the rains and landslides that have occurred in the country) are a supposed punishment from God and that we should pray with repentance for our supposed sins.
Fortunately, there are still many believers who affirm that difficult moments are important for prayer, but that we ask God to give us wisdom and perseverance to be able to face adversity. Undoubtedly, we need a lot of wisdom to be able to face the challenges we have in the country and to understand that generous giving is what is expected of us more than judgmental words.