One day, a man sat down beside his son and said to him in a solemn voice: “My boy, in our lives there is only one true crime: murder. Always stay away from that path. Never lay a hand on another person’s life”.

The boy looked at his father in great surprise. His eyes seemed to ask him: “Father, why are you telling me this? Do you doubt the education you have given me? Do you think I could ever kill someone?”

The father smiled when he saw his son’s astonishment. Then, after a brief silence, he continued:

“Do not be surprised by my words, my son. I want to teach you something very profound. There are ways of killing without shedding a single drop of blood.

A person can kill with the tongue, through deceit, injustice, hatred, indifference or the abuse of power. Listen carefully:

Lies… They kill the truth and suffocate honesty.

Theft… It kills security, disturbs peace and takes away from another person what rightfully belongs to them.

Cheating… It kills trust and makes every promise suspect.

Fanaticism… It kills freedom, rejects difference and seeks to erase the diversity that God has placed within humanity.

Harshness and vulgar language… They kill feelings, wound the heart, belittle others and gradually destroy respect and esteem.

Corruption… It kills honour, sells the conscience and poisons society.

Debauchery and obscenity… They kill modesty, trivialise what ought to be respected and weaken the dignity of the human person.

False testimony… It kills the truth and can sometimes lead to an innocent person being unjustly condemned.

Slander and defamation… They kill a person’s reputation, sometimes with only a few words, even though it may take years to repair the harm that has been done.

Hatred… It kills brotherhood even before the weapons begin to speak.

Indifference in the face of suffering… It allows hope to die in the heart of someone who needed a helping hand.

Injustice, tyranny and abuse… They kill justice, crush dignity and turn life into a burden.

The exploitation of the weak… It kills their future by taking advantage of their poverty and vulnerability.

War… It is often nothing more than the result of all these little deaths accumulating: truth sacrificed, trust destroyed, justice despised and human dignity forgotten”.

The father paused, and then looked at his son for a long moment.

“Do you understand now, my boy? The real danger is not only the person who takes a knife or a weapon and takes a life. There is also the person who, day after day, destroys around them what enables human beings to live together: truth, trust, justice, peace, dignity and love.

Some crimes make no sound. They leave no blood on our hands. They do not always lead to a courtroom. But they leave deep wounds in people’s hearts and in society.

That is why, my son, do not content yourself with saying: ‘I will never kill anyone.’ Say instead:

‘I will never kill the truth through lies;

I will never kill trust through cheating;

I will never kill dignity through humiliation;

I will never kill justice through corruption;

I will never kill freedom through fanaticism;

I will never kill hope through my indifference.’

Stay away from murder, then, my son, but also stay away from everything that can become a little death for your neighbour.

Protect life.

Protect truth.

Protect dignity.

Protect peace.

The person who learns to respect the little things that sustain human life becomes, in turn, a builder of life.

And never forget this: A life can be taken in an instant; but a person can also be killed slowly, without even realising it.

So, my son, always choose the path that gives life. And may God grant you the wisdom to recognise evil before it becomes a crime, the strength to turn away from it, and the courage to defend the life, truth and dignity of every person. Only then will you truly be happy”.