(Chronicle) Still so much to live

On February 14, the death of Quentin Deranque, 23, a nationalist activist who died as a result of his injuries during a brawl, sparked numerous – and heated – reactions. In the days that followed, potential perpetrators were discussed. Among them, Jeune Garde, this group of anti-fascist activists founded in 2018 by Raphaël Arnault, now LFI deputy. The elected official was also 23 years old when he set up this movement, dissolved almost a year ago for violence.

Whatever our political views, everyone will agree that such a death is deeply sad. As was the case in 2013 with Clément Méric, who was killed at the age of 18 by a group of skinheads. How can such young people choose to embrace violent struggles, risking their lives?

I have often wondered who Jesus might have been in his youth. About this period, the Bible says almost nothing, except that Christ “grew in wisdom, in stature and in grace, before God and before men” (Lk 2:52), in a country subject, already at that time, to great tensions. His life ended just three years after leaving home, and not at the end of a long existence, filled with varied experiences. While he still had so much to live, he died on the cross for love: Easter will show us Jesus giving himself up to obtain the Salvation of the world.

Lent is an opportunity to reflect on the way in which we ourselves offer our lives following Christ. We hope to see young people give themselves out of love and not hatred, and find life rather than death.