Press Release, 28 October 2011
Mrs Irena Degutienė, Speaker of the Seimas, hosted the 11th National Prayer Breakfast on 28 October 2011. The National Prayer Breakfast focused on “The Trinity that Lithuania Needs: Faith, Hope and Love”.
Address by Mrs Irena Degutienė, Speaker of the Seimas,
at the 11th National Prayer Breakfast at the Seimas
Your Eminence,
Church representatives,
Distinguished guests of the Prayer Breakfast,
I am happy to be here today, with this community and at this event. It is a privilege to have yet another possibility to share hopes, problems and ideas and jointly reflect on the road we are taking and the destination ahead.
I have always thought that it is important to interact and share ideas in the widest possible circle of the public. I am therefore very pleased that the Prayer Breakfast has brought together people guided by Christian faith: politicians of different political backgrounds, representatives of the Church and culture, journalists, and public figures. I have no illusions that we will be able to find answers to all questions and iron out all differences of opinion and attitudes today or during any other prayer breakfast in the future. Still, I do hope that sharing ideas, saying what you think and careful and respectful listening to each other have a lot of sense.
By the way, I think that the people sitting round the tables at the prayer breakfast today represent only a fraction of society. I sincerely wish as many individuals representing the general public as possible found time and made a pause in their work, and talked, and reflected upon our way and purpose of life. It is a pity that such exchanges usually happen only during the great Christian holidays: Easter and Christmas. I strongly believe that openness, respect, and interaction grounded in Christian or universal values are always timely, needed, and treasured.
This, basically, was the genesis of the prayer breakfast tradition. After intellect and common sense, as well as physical and military power failed to answer the fundamental questions, the Heads of State turned to God and to their brothers and sisters once again. As we remember this, we often ask ourselves whether people start the search for God and the sense of beauty and wisdom only in the face of insurmountable problems. Is it only in the face of death or war that a human starts reflecting on his mission in this world?
By wars I do not only mean armed conflicts between states or groups. Unfortunately, smaller but no less debilitating wars often take place within communities and our own souls. The cause is usually mistrust, fear, and thought that financial and material prosperity can solve all problems and answer any questions. Unfortunately, today we see that financial and economic tensions and uncertainties in Lithuania have dented our system of values. Seeing this, I ask myself and the people of Lithuania: what lessons shall we draw from the crisis? Difficulties often open up deep and meaningful things: human solidarity, compassion, and moral obligation to help your neighbour in hard times. Are these values developing in our society?
Please, do not get me wrong, I want to neither moralise nor preach. However, I sincerely wish that a little more of the Christian Trinity – Faith, Hope and Love, find home in the daily life of every citizen and the entire society in Lithuania. Faith, Hope and Love should not be declarative, nor should they be simple frequent quotes from the Bible. What I mean is the need for spiritual values that translates into thoughts, deeds and actual interaction.
It is very symbolic, that the word “faith” tikėjimas in Lithuanian mainly rests on “walking” ėjimas. If we split the word into two parts we get “only walking” tik-ėjimas. Faith is not and cannot be a finite state achieved once and for all. Faith is not and cannot be the posturing of the righteous who think they have the right to criticize, condemn, or at least to teach others how to live. Faith has always been and will be a spiritual journey, walking from heart to heart, from man to man, and this means – to God. So this is the road we need to walk as faith is “walking” tikėjimas, i.e. moving forward both in our spirit and in our lives.
And we are not alone in our fight against the problems we encounter. I would like to conclude with a short parable. Perhaps many of you have already heard it, but it speaks of the most important things: hope and love. It tells the life story of a man of deep faith. When he looks back at the road he covered through his lifetime, he sees two sets of footprints, one belonging to him and the other to the Lord. But the road gets harder, hardships and failures arise, hope fades and uncertainty sets in. He looks back again and sees only one set of footprints on the road. He questions the Lord about it, “Lord, … when I needed you most, you would leave me.” The Lord replies, “… When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”
Today, difficult as it may be, we have to remember: we are not alone on Lithuania’s road. We are together and we are with God. Thus, guided by faith, hope and love, we are really able to walk with dignity. May we always count on the greatest power, love of God and man, which gives us guidance along the path of our lives.
