The lessons of Auschwitz

A personal reflection by Mones Farah

I have visited Auschwitz twice and found the experience profoundly overwhelming. The sheer presence of evil that lingers in that place defies description. Throughout the days leading up to my visit, and for weeks afterwards, one question haunted me: how could we, as human beings, inflict such unspeakable suffering upon one another?

The visit forced me to confront the potential for darkness that resides within us all—even within myself, despite salvation and encountering Jesus. I stand with the Jewish and Israeli declaration: "It shall not happen again." Many Jewish and Israeli leaders, both religious and intellectual, have expanded this statement to include a universal call: "It shall not happen again to anyone, anywhere."

This is a principle we must all adopt and live by. Yet, such a commitment can only become reality if we, particularly those in positions of power, address the fears and pains within ourselves - those inner struggles that can feed the demons that potentially lurk within us and are capable of unleashing such atrocities.

The recent Remembrance Day for the Liberation of Auschwitz, gives me hope in reports from the Israeli press that 650,000 Gazans are beginning to return to northern Gaza. Is this the righting of a wrong? Could it be a prophetic sign of a better future? I fervently pray that it is.

• Join me in Praying for all Holocaust survivors and their descendants.
• Join me in praying for all those facing unspeakable atrocities throughout the world.
• Join me in praying for world leaders that through conflict they may not throw away justice, mercy and humility before God.
• Join me in Praying for religious leaders of all faiths to be a positive voice and catalyst for respect, honour, justice, mercy, healing and peace for all.
• Join me in praying for all the uprooted and displaced throughout the world.
• Join me in praying for those 'who have' to act with generosity towards those 'who have not', with no conditions attached.
• Join me in praying for ourselves to live our lives with a focus on helping others, aware of our impact on the world and making sure that our impact is for good especially towards those who we might term "enemies" and treat, love, protect and serve them as neighbours