In September 2025, my wife and I drove to Atlanta to hear one of my heroes, Lech Walesa. Some of you may remember him. He was a “regular guy” working in the Gdańsk (Lenin) shipyard who rose through the ranks of his union to eventually become the President of Poland and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

When Pope John Paul II (the Polish Pope) visited Poland in the early days of the Solidarity movement, his visit added immense credibility to what Walesa was attempting to achieve. Under Walesa’s leadership, the Polish people shifted from communist rule toward democracy. That night in Atlanta, when Walesa was asked about the Pope’s visit, he said, “The Pope brought the word, and we made it flesh.”

Another of my heroes is Václav Havel, the former President of the Czech Republic. He also led a non-violent revolution, though rather than a dock worker, Havel was a poet and writer. What he orchestrated came to be known as the “Velvet Revolution.” It was defined by an absence of violence or vengeance against previous rulers; their slogan was simply, “We are not like them.” One of my treasured books is an autographed copy of his work, The Art of the Impossible. Beside the book, I keep photocopies of the speech he delivered at Macalester College in 1999. I was almost there to hear it in person—but that’s another story.

Although I have only mentioned two heroes, you may see a pattern forming. I am drawn to leaders who are ordinary, artistic, and non-violent. It is easy to see how Jesus fits this model. As believers, we don’t think of Him as ordinary, but I suspect most of the people who heard Him 2,000 years ago did. At first glance, He was an ordinary man from the country with a group of ordinary followers.

Before long, however, they realized there was more to Him—a quiet strength and a natural leadership. He had a way of making contact with folks when He spoke, a feeling that He was speaking right to your heart. His values were rooted in the immense value He placed on every human life. Truly, He was “not like them.”

We come to Easter after the season of Lenten preparation. Part of what we do during Lent is take the time to think, to remember, and to wonder. In our Christian tradition, we think about baptism as a “setting apart.” We say that the water of baptism marks us as a child of God. In an important way, we are called to be “not like them.” I don’t intend this to be exclusive, but rather to say that we are called to be different in the world.

Easter reminds us that Christ was, and is, not like them. He showed us this through His love and His acceptance of those who were different. During this Easter season, as we wonder how to follow the call of Christ, perhaps we can start by following His example of non-violence—even when we are convinced that our anger is righteous.

I pray for our Kirkwood community that Easter brings a season of new life, renewed hope, and a sense of renewed purpose.

Peace,

Cary