“Christ our spiritual compass and hope amidst fear of the present and future”, says WCC General Secretary during ecumenical Sunday service in Myanmar

Yangon, Myanmar: Today, as the world faces multiple crises and the people of Myanmar endure numerous challenges, confronted by uncertainty and fear of the present and future, our faith becomes the foundation of hope, and that hope drives our engagement in the world. Thus, we are called to serve God and the world in love and faithfulness despite the travails in life, said Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches.

Delivering a homily based on Psalm 46 and Mark 4:35–41 during an ecumenical Sunday worship service at the Methodist Church of the Union of Myanmar (Lower Myanmar) in Yangon, Dr Jerry Pillay reminded the faithful that Jesus stands at the centre of every storm. He reflected that the storms of life, whether spiritual, material, physical, emotional, or psychological, find their peace, hope, and calm in Christ. Christ is our spiritual compass when we are lost, confused, and gripped by panic or desperation, just as the disciples once were, said Dr Pillay.

Dr Jerry Pillay, a global ecumenical leader from South Africa, drew from his own experiences in his home country decades ago as he reflected on human struggles during times of trial. He noted that when people face tribulations and persecution, it is easy to feel that God is absent. In moments of darkness, depression, and despair, feelings of abandonment and forsakenness often arise. “It is easy to accuse God of not caring, of lacking compassion, or of being absent when we need him most,” he said, adding that as a pastor he has often heard such sentiments in times of personal struggle. “As General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, I also encounter critical questions and reflections about injustices, suffering, and pain in the world, and the question, ‘Where is God amid all these?’”

He further said that it is natural for people to ask difficult questions such as, “Where is God when thousands are killed in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, and other parts of the world? Where is God when countless people go to bed hungry each night? Where is God when so many are denied access to humanitarian aid? Where is God when hundreds of migrants drown or die while fleeing their countries? Where is God when human rights and dignity are denied, deprived, and violated? Where is God when Indigenous peoples are stripped of their rights, land, and history? Where is God when the elderly are forgotten and the youth are not given space to express themselves? Where is God?”

Dr Pillay noted that in such moments, Jesus poses to us the same questions he asked his disciples: “Why are you afraid? Do you still have faith?” These, he said, are the questions Jesus continues to ask us amid the storms of life. He went on to affirm, “In Jesus, we find one so close to God, so beloved and so trusting of God, as to banish fear and inspire courage strong enough to face the elements.”

Continuing his message of encouragement, Dr Pillay reminded the faithful that steadfast commitment and self-surrender to God’s love, revealed in Christ, frees us from fear, desire, and illusion. Such faith enables believers to face reality, heal from trauma, and open themselves to others, setting them on a journey of transformation.

The WCC General Secretary emphasised that Christian faith is neither arbitrary nor naïve, and that hope is not mere optimism. Rather, it is rooted in Christ’s triumph over death and his continuing presence among us, revealing God’s enduring compassion. “This is the basis of the hope we embrace within ourselves and offer to the world. It changes everything,” he said.

Quoting the late Jürgen Moltmann, whom he described as an ecumenical prophet of hope, Dr Pillay recalled: “Christian hope draws the promised future of God into the present day and prepares the present day for this future.” In light of this, Christians can both confront the full weight of humanity’s present challenges and nurture a realistic hope of overcoming them.

“We can bank on hope because even amid our storms, God is in control. God will calm the storms. For in Christ, God the Father holds all things together, and even when things fall apart, they come together,” Dr Pillay reaffirmed.

“When times test our faith against the elements, no litany can fully capture the depth and scale of the challenges humanity faces today. The people of Myanmar know firsthand the tragedies and destruction caused by climate disasters, economic inequality, the corruption of politics and media, mass displacement of refugees fleeing violence, persecution, and war, as well as challenges in health and education. As people of faith and hope, as Christians, how are we to respond?” asked Dr Pillay.

He emphasised that in such circumstances, communities of faith are called to be bearers of hope and agents of reconciliation. Christians are urged to step forward as advocates for justice, makers of peace, counsellors of unity, and catalysts for creative engagement at every level.

The WCC General Secretary encouraged the faithful to remain steadfast in their faith, nurture hope, and serve in love. “As Christians and Christian communities, we need not fear the future but must embrace it. We are communities of hope and reconciliation because we know that the God of Life continually sustains, renews, and transforms us and all creation. Each moment holds redemptive possibilities for resurrection to new life and God’s New Creation in Christ. We are a movement of hope in life. We are people of faith even amid life’s storms. Does this describe you?” concluded Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay.

The ecumenical worship service was led by Bishop Myat San, Bishop Dr Samuel San Myat Shwe, Ms Mai Kaythi Min Din, Rev.  Dr Smith Ngulh Za Thawng, and Saw Patrick Loo Nee.

Photos from the ecumenical Sunday service can be found here: