1. I address you this Easter message on Good Friday
to remind ourselves of the intimate link between the two memories. Today, we
meditate the unfathomable mystery of God as we hear our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Eternal Word of God, crying on the Cross: “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?” Then he gave up his spirit, in front of a crowd facing the
mystery of God with irony. On Easter Sunday we commemorate the manifestation of
the same mystery in the glory of the Resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ,
Eternal Word of God, rising from the dead, and triumphing over death, sin and
all kind of evil. Christ is risen, yes indeed, he is risen.
2.
From the same place which God wanted to sanctify by his presence and his
mystery, from the Holy city, form the Calvary and near the empty tomb, place of
our glorious salvation, I wish you a holy Easter and ask God to fill you with
his grace and blessing, to grant you in your daily life the strength, glory and
joy of Resurrection. I address this message particularly to our faithful in the
Holy Land, and I ask God Almighty to give us all the power to triumph over all
the forces of death which are manifested through the various trials and sufferings
which demolish us in these days. For us all, for all the inhabitants of this
land, I ask God to grant us a just and definitive peace which put an end to the
bloodshed, the demolition of houses, the siege, the humiliations imposed upon
the human being by sterile security measures, which produce only more
sufferings, more death for all, Palestinians and Israelis alike, and more
hatred towards each other.
3 The
Holy city, place of the mystery of God, sign of his presence and of his love
and his justice among men, is itself today the source of dissent and the cause
of bloodshed. Jesus Christ came and brought salvation to everyone. He brought
love to everyone. For all he gave a unique commandment in which he summed up
all the law and the prophets: love each other. love God and love your
neighbour, linking between the love of God and that of God’s children. In this
difficult commandment , every responsible in human societies, and particularly
in our Holy City, could find, if he wished, enough strength to put an end to
dissent, sufferings and bloodshed. The way which leads to peace is in itself
clear and simple. The way which puts an end to all violence, protects the
Israeli and guarantees his security, frees him from fear, anxiety and
threatening death at every moment and in every place, gives back to the
Palestinian his freedom, land and dignity, puts an end to his sufferings and
guarantees his security and tranquility, this way consists of removing a
military fact which weighs upon the land since 1967: the Occupation of the
Palestinian Territories. Therefore, instead of reacting against force by a
greater one, the Israeli leaders should react with a new force, the strength of
the spirit and the moral courage which invites them to put an end to the
bandage imposed upon the land which they occupy. This would be a security
measure, a wise and efficient one which will produce the desired security that
all military actions failed to produce, so far. This measure will regenerate a
new life in this Holy Land, and will allow all its inhabitants to participate
in its holiness. So all together they will build a new land and a new human
being will emerge.
4 We
mourn and pray for all the victims. All are dear and precious in the eyes of
God, as well as to the heart of every mother, father, relative and friend. We
present them all before the eyes of the Almighty, ask him to accept them all in
his mercy and to have compassion upon us all. We ask him to open the eyes and
the hearts of those who have in their hands the key of peace and the ability of
ending the occupation which only demolishes peace day after day and makes it
always farther.
5 Some
religious leaders, Jews, Christians and Moslems, after the Alexandria meeting
in January of this year, started meeting in order to reflect together on the
tragedy of this land, with the hope of reach one common vision, so that they
may hear together the words of the Psalmist: “I am listening. What is God’s
message? God’s message is peace for his people, for his faithful, if only they renounce
their folly…Faithful love and loyalty join together. Saving Justice and Peace
embrace”.
(Ps
84, 9.11). Hopefully, they will reach a common position which will manifest the
justice and love of God in this regard. God does not help a brother against his
brother, but gives his grace to every one in order to triumph over the inner evil
so as to enable him to practice justice for himself and for his brother. In
this way the salvation of God will become nearer to us as says the Psalmist: “His
saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory will dwell in our land” (Ps 84,10).
6 Brothers
and sisters, as we celebrate the glorious Resurrection of the Lord, I invite
you to remain patient and firm in the trial. I urge you to see in the
Resurrection of the Lord the source of a permanent hope and strength to build
together justice and peace:: “so that as Christ was raised from the
dead by the Father’s glorious
power, we too should begin a new life” (Rom 6: 4). May the Resurrection of
the Lord be a resurrection to all the inhabitants of our land, for a new life
and a new love based on justice and reconciliation. Christ is risen, yes indeed
he is risen.
+Michel Sabbah, Patriarche