Easter Message: The Courage to be Real

This Easter, against a backdrop of global conflict, rising prices and combative political rhetoric, I find myself reflecting on the courage it takes to be real in an increasingly ego‑driven world. Recently, while listening to a podcast exploring the work of the philosopher René Girard, I was struck by how easily our culture confuses volume with truth, how shouting louder, asserting ourselves more forcefully, or dominating the conversation is often mistaken for being right.  

Girard observed that when we lose clarity about our purpose, we imitate others, looking to shout loud ourselves and compete for attention, we then look for someone to blame when things go wrong. The Easter story stands in stark contrast to that way of being. At the heart of the Christian faith is not a louder voice or a winning argument, but the quiet, costly truth that scapegoating and blame do not bring life, love, responsibility, and self‑giving do. 

I recently had the privilege of speaking at my church on the Good Samaritan Story. In this well-known parable, Jesus tells a story where those with status, certainty, and authority pass by suffering, while the outsider crosses the road, steps closer, and responds with compassion that costs him something. It is a story that cuts through ego and performance. For Christians, it reflects the life and way of Jesus himself, a faith shaped not by dominance or certainty, but by humility and love in action. For people of all faiths or none, it remains a powerful moral challenge: to act with integrity, to keep our ‘why’ clear, and to ensure that our actions never compromise the trust placed in us.  

At YMCA St Paul’s Group, this is how the hope of Easter is lived out every day. Rooted in our Christian foundation and open to people of all backgrounds, our values call us to act with courage, integrity, and compassion, especially alongside young people and communities who are too often passed by or spoken over.  

The Christian message of Easter proclaims that new life does not come through ego, blame, or exclusion, but through love, service, and standing alongside others. On behalf of YMCA St Paul’s Group, I wish you a peaceful and hopeful Easter, one that invites each of us to turn down the noise, step closer to those in need, and play our part in building communities where everyone belongs. 

Richard James
CEO, YMCA St Paul’s Group