Fraternity-Testvériség, 1961 (39. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1961-09-01 / 9. szám
4 FRATERNITY In the Old Testament, in the Book of Kings (II Kings 2:8-15), Elijah asks his favorite pupil, Elisha: “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha says: “Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” Elijah’s mantle falls to the ground as he is taken up and Elisha takes Elijah’s mantle upon his shoulders. If I had one prayer now, as each new ci’isis developes, it would he that the mantle of courage, devotion to freedom and truth, so beautifully exemplified by Hungary, might descend upon our shoulders and upon our hearts, so that we might be concerned with not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for our country in this critical and crucial struggle against Communism which threatens the free world. May the mantle of Kossuth, Petőfi, St. Stephen and the great people of Hungary descend upon us to awaken us to the great resolve that we shall never let freedom, for which Hungary so valiantly fought, ever die. Ferencz Rákóczi said: “Recrudescunt vulnera inclytae gentis Hungaricae”, which means: “This eternal truth, this eternal suffering and pain is the Hungarian Truth.” What is the Hungarian Truth? If someone had asked a Hungarian this question before the First World War, he would have said that the Hungarian Truth was what Kossuth, the Father of the Country, had proclaimed. If this same question were asked after the First W orld War and after the Treaty of Trianon, the answer would be that the Hungarian Truth is “Justice for Hungary”. If this question were asked today of anyone on the streets of Budapest or in the smallest village of Hungary, the answer would be a pathetic, soul-searching cry: “Freedom for Hungary”. Lessing, a great German poet, wrote: “If God held before us his two hands and said: ‘In my right hand is the perfect truth and in my left hand is your right to search for that perfect truth’, which hand would you choose?” We would say, according to Lessing: “Perfect truth is Thine, O Lord. We shall choose to strive for the realization of the truth. Please grant us strength to find that truth.” We pray that the time will come when God will say: “You have fought valiantly to realize justice and truth. My justice and truth will prevail. Your hands are shackled, but mine are free. For your blood, sweat and tears, here is my right hand which shall make you free; because my truth will prevail, 3'ou will be free.” — O God, this is the truth we want!
