Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General, World YMCA
Dear friends across the YMCA Movement,
As we mark this sacred season of Easter, I am reminded of the powerful question asked by the women who, in grief and love, approached Jesus’ tomb on that first Easter morning: “Who will roll the stone for us?” (Mark 16:3)
They knew a massive stone blocked their path. They had no plan, no strength to move it. But they went anyway — driven by faith, by love, and by hope.
Today, in our world, we are faced with many such stones.
Stones in our time
We live in a time of great uncertainty and upheaval. The world is still riven by violent, intractable conflict. Ongoing commercial wars, the dismantling of multilateral institutions, the rise of economic nationalism, and the drastic cuts in foreign aid have pushed many into despair.
Those of us in the social sector—those working for dignity, equity, and justice—often feel that same helplessness. Like the women at the tomb, we wonder: “Who will roll away the stone between us and a better world?”
And yet, the Easter story reveals something extraordinary: The stone was already rolled away.
Two stories of hope and resistance
My inspiration for this message comes from a profound Easter reflection shared by Toshi Yamamoto, a Japanese theologian, ecumenical leader, and current Treasurer of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs. His words remind us that even the heaviest stones can be moved—through both collective action and inner resilience.
You can read his paper here.
A Korean Christian’s bold protest (2001)
In the Spring of 2001, at the height of Japan’s controversial textbook revision, Mr. Kim Young-Jin, a South Korean Christian parliamentarian, came to Tokyo. Unable to accept the whitewashing of history, he sat in protest before the Japanese Diet building—fasting through Easter, praying, reading the Bible, and calling the world to conscience.
What began as one man’s solitary stand inspired prayer vigils, citizen mobilization, and international support. Though the textbook was approved, it was adopted by only 0.03% of schools in Japan.
Lesson: One person’s courageous, non-violent action can awaken a nation and stir a movement.
Viktor Frankl’s inner tools of survival
In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, wrote that three things helped people endure the horrors of concentration camps.
Prayer – Communing with God gave strength.
Music – A balm for the soul.
Humour – A way to transcend despair.
Lesson: Even when external action is impossible, internal resilience and creative expression can keep hope alive.
One YMCA mission, many expressions
In the YMCA, we understand that both paths are needed.
We march in the streets and we kneel in prayer.
We organise campaigns, and our hearts are lifted through music, art, and laughter.
We are both a movement for justice and a community of healing.
Meanwhile, the current shifts in our global political and economic landscape threaten the well-being of marginalised communities, access to education and employment, mental health and peace of mind. They threaten human dignity itself.
As these stones pile up, the worldwide YMCA Movement must be a bridge between despair and hope, between isolation and solidarity, between oppression and justice.
Easter: a call to act and believe
Who will roll the stone for us?
The answer does not lie in waiting for others. It begins with each of us.
Let this Easter be a turning point. Let us recognise the stone in front of us. Let us take individual action, like Mr. Kim. Let us mobilise our communities for coordinated, collective efforts.
Let us pray in the tradition that speaks to our soul.
Let us create, through music, art, and expression, whatever can lift us and unite us.
Death and evil do not have the final word. Easter is proof of that. It is our declaration that hope transcends hopelessness.
An invitation to all YMCA communities
This Easter, I invite each YMCA, each local group, each family to gather — on Good Friday, Holy Saturday, or Easter morning — to pray for a new world.
A world that is inclusive, in which everyone is seen and valued, men and women, rich and poor, wherever they are from.
Let us recommit ourselves to the mission of the YMCA, to be Easter people and people of hope in a weary world.
Let us be the ones who dare to believe. The stone can move. Hope can rise. We are not alone.
Happy Easter to all.