The human being is something more complicated than we commonly think. Thus, I believe that Albania now has a great new possibility that lies in the fact that we do not simply tolerate one anther, but we live together. The word tolerance is too weak to express what we experience now. We live a new level of relations, a peaceful coexistence. Yet, even this is too weak to express our religious reality. Since Vatican II, and after the common experience of martyrdom, which we suffered here, we now experience a third level of relations, a level of creative and brotherly cooperation. This is what we must cultivate for the future. In the past, we were here at the frontiers between East and West, where we experienced the divisions. Now, we have the prophetic role to be the bridge between East and West, where we give a continuous witness of our sincere respect for one another. Respect for one another is the real lesson we also must give to the entire Balkans. Albania has suffered so much, but we have something to export. Spiritually, we are not a poor country, but we are a rich country in our self-conscience in the fact that we live together. We have a deep respect for one another, and this respect goes beyond even the Christian churches. It embraces the other communities and even reaches out to those who don't believe, because for us, those who don't believe are not the enemy, but are the victims of their ignorance. We respect and love them, and would like to work with them for a better future. |
