Peace,
mercy and action at the heart of Patriarch Fouad Twal’s Christmas message
His
Beatitude Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem focused on
peace, mercy and action in his traditional Christmas press conference held on
December 16. Here below is the full text of his message:
Dear
Friends,
Dear
Faithful of the Holy Land,
To
all of you and those dear to you, I wish you a Christmas full of joy and
blessings!
To
our dear journalist-friends, thank you for your presence here today.
Thank you for the valuable work, which you carry out with openness, freedom and
wisdom, best guided by a continual concern and interest for the Truth.
In
a few days we will celebrate the birth of Christ; Christmas, the mystery of the
Incarnation, the mystery of the Eternal Word who “became flesh and dwelt among
us”. Christmas, the feast of the Light, that shines in the night, a
celebration of joy, hope and peace. Children of the world dream of a wonderful
celebration with gifts, lights, decorated trees and crèches. However, and
I repeat the same words of Pope Francis, everything is distorted “because the
world continues to make war”. This famous “third world war being fought
in pieces”, which he speaks of so often, is unfolding before our eyes in our
region.
I-
Violence
–
What a suffering it is, to once again see our beloved Holy Land caught in the
vicious cycle of bloody violence! What a pain to see anew, hatred prevail
over reason and dialogue! The anguish of the people of this land is ours, which
we cannot ignore or disregard. Enough! We are tired of this
conflict as we see the Holy Land sullied with blood.
To
the Israeli and Palestinian leaders we say, it is time to show courage, and
work for the establishment of a just peace. Enough of stalling,
reluctance and false pretenses! Respect international resolutions!
Listen to the voice of your people who aspire for peace, act in their best
interests! Each of the two peoples of the Holy Land, Israelis and
Palestinians, have the right to dignity, to an independent state and
sustainable security.
–
Alas, our situation in the Holy Land resonates that of the world facing an
unprecedented terrorist threat. A deadly ideology based on religious
fanaticism and obstinacy is spreading terror and barbarism amidst innocent people.
Yesterday, it was Lebanon, France, Russia, the United States; but war has been
raging for years in Iraq and Syria. The situation in Syria is also at the
center of this crisis; and the future of the Middle East depends on the
resolution of this conflict.
These
terrible wars are driven by arms trade, involving several international
powers. We are facing a situation of total absurdity and duplicity.
On one side, some speak of dialogue, justice, and peace, while on the other
hand promote the sale of arms to the belligerents! We call to conversion,
these unscrupulous arms dealers who may be without conscience, to make
amends. Great is your responsibility in these devastating tragedies,
and you will answer before God for the blood of your brothers.
Military
response and the way of force cannot solve the problems of humanity. We
need to find the root and cause of this scourge, and to tackle them. We must
combat poverty and injustice, which may constitute a breeding ground for
terrorism. Similarly, we must promote education on tolerance and acceptance of
the other.
–
The Church and the community of believers also have to respond to the current
situation. This response is the Jubilee of Mercy, inaugurated on December 8 by
Pope Francis. Mercy is the remedy for the ills of our time. It is through mercy
that we make visible to the world the tenderness and closeness of God.
Mercy
is not limited to individual relationships but embraces public life in all its
sectors (political, economic, cultural, social), at all levels (international,
regional and local) and in all directions (between states, peoples, cultures
and religions). When mercy becomes a basic component of public action, the
world can be transformed from the sphere of selfish interests to that of human
values.
“Mercy
is a political act par excellence, provided the policy is set in its noblest
sense, of caring for the human family beginning with ethical values, of which
mercy is a principal component opposed to violence, oppression, injustice, and
the spirit of domination.”
During
this Year of Mercy, we invite pilgrims to visit the Holy Land. Upon the
invitation of the Holy Father, we opened a Holy Door, a Door of Mercy in
designated Churches in the diocese: the Basilica of Gethsemane in Jerusalem,
the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth and the Church of Saint Catherine
in Bethlehem. Pilgrims should not be afraid to come. Despite the tense
situation in this land, the pilgrim route is safe and they are respected and
appreciated by all sectors in the Holy Land
II-
What to do?
–
We also believe in the fundamental value of education. How can we ever forget
the bitter struggle to uphold our Christian schools in Israel? How can we not
thank all who participated, the parents, children and teachers? A number of
political leaders and officials, including Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and
several members of the Knesset, have worked for this worthy cause. They have
shown a commitment to education offered by the Christian schools that is open
to all citizens without distinction, and based on fraternal principles,
dialogue and peace.
–
This interfaith perspective brings me to the fiftieth anniversary of Nostra
Aetate, probably the most revolutionary document of the Second Vatican Council.
This declaration lays out the foundation for dialogue between the Church and
non-Christian religions. Here in the Holy Land, this dialogue is of
paramount importance where difficulties exist, but it is necessary to continue
to hope all the more, to the viability of a Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue.
I
also commend our St. James Vicariate for Hebrew-speaking Catholics, which
celebrated its sixty years of existence. It continues to work for
Jewish-Christian dialogue, and in generously serving the migrant communities.
III.
Christmas celebration this year
–
The current political situation suggests for moderate celebrations and
deepening our spiritual sense of this remembrance. For this reason, we
invite every parish to switch off Christmas tree lights for five minutes in
solidarity with all victims of violence and terrorism. Similarly, our
Christmas Mass will be offered for the victims and their families, that they
take to heart, the participation in the joy and peace of Christmas.
–
The Patriarch’s Solemn Entry
Since
the beginning of this month, and together with the Custody of the Holy Land, we
have created a committee to reorganize the solemn entry of the Patriarch into
Bethlehem on December 24. Several measures have been carried out so
that the arrival of the procession in Bethlehem is not delayed and in an
orderly manner in the Manger Square and the area of the Church of the Nativity.
A place for journalists and photographers has been designated.
I
would like to conclude by thanking Pope Francis for several reasons.
First, for the canonization of the two Palestinian saints last May, and
subsequently for the Synod of Bishops on the Family, to which I had the joy of
participating; for the Motu Proprio simplifying the process for the nullity of
marriage; for the historic Bilateral Agreement between the Holy See and the
State of Palestine; and finally for his encyclical “Laudato Si” on major issues
for our planet and humanity, the care for our common home, for creation and
protection of the environment.
Conclusion
“For
a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion
rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince
of Peace.” (Is 9:5)
Dear
friends, the birth of Christ is a sign of the Mercy of the Father and a promise
of joy to us all. This message shines upon our wounded world, to console the
afflicted, the oppressed, and to bring about conversion to violent hearts.
A
blessed and joyous Christmas to all!
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