Lately, an event happened in Poland, which passed almost unnoticed, but was very important for the Polish society. Archbishop of Lublin Josef Zyczinski at a divine service made an appeal not to blame the Russians for what had happened in Katyn, not to shift the NKVD’s sins onto the citizens of present-day Russia. The archbishop’s appeal was supported by the Polish President, who took the occasion to demonstrate that Poland treats Russia without historical prejudice.
But for my stay in Poland, I would have overlooked this event too. However, I want to draw your attention to its further prospects not from the point of view of the Russian-Polish dialogue, but with regard to the climate in the society, which is reverting from totalitarian values to common human ones. We often say that our future is determined by the economy, rather than by the politics. And we forget to add that the economy involves not only figures, but also a certain level of morality. Only if such level exists, will a person work not only for him or herself, but for society. And not rob it. And will not fight for office in order to begin such robbery. And realize that there are no rich people in a poor country.
Through one of its spiritual leaders Polish society has taken one more step toward life in a clean moral atmosphere. No doubt, this will tell on its economy, because it determines the general potential of a nation, its lack of complexes, its desire to go forward and not to grasp at skeletons from the past. As for us, we have only learned to apologize a little.
Now we have to learn to forgive.
