wfn.org | From Jerusalem's Tomb, A Message of Unity and Hope

[JerusalemRelOrgs@aol.com]

Contact:  Fr. Raed Awad Abusahlia
P.O.Box 14152  Jerusalem  91141
Tel.  (972 2) 628.2323 / 627.2280
Fax  (972 2) 627.1652
Personal E-mail: nonviolence@writeme.com
Latin Patriarchate E-mail: Latinpat@actcom.co.il
Latin Patriarchate's Homepage: http://www.Lpj.org
"Nonviolence Homepage": http://go.to/nonviolence

JERUSALEM, April 15, 2001--Standing in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,=20
known in Arabic as the Church of the Resurrection, before the traditional=20
site of the tomb of Christ, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem today spoke of=20
unity, military power and Christian hope.

Michel Sabbah, the Catholic leader for Israel, Palestine and other parts of=20
the ancient holy land, spoke quietly with a serene sense of history but full=
=20
awareness than many members of his flock were unable to enter Jerusalem from=
=20
the territories Israel has occupied since 1967. =20

He told those who were able to be present that the risen Christ "gave us the=
=20
power to remain in love and to share in the building of our society, in all=20
circumstances, whatever may be the difficulties."

A Palestinian trained at the Sorbonne in Paris as well as in Catholic=20
institutions in Rome, Patriarch Sabbah said that this year the Resurrection=20
is a sign of Christian unity, pointing out that Easter is celebrated on the=20
same day by the Eastern (Orthodox) Christians and by the Western (Catholic=20
and Protestant) Christians.  He said it is the "will of God who wants us to=20
walk together towards unity, confident that we can overcome all kinds of=20
obstacles."=20

The historic building in which he spoke was constructed on the traditional=20
site of both Calvary where Jesus was crucified and of the tomb in which he=20
was buried.  It was rebuilt in the days of the Crusaders.  A number of=20
Christian groups share responsibility for the ancient, rambling structure,=20
including Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, and the Franciscan orders who=20
have been assigned by the Vatican to maintain "custody of the Holy Land."

In his homily, Patriarch Sabbah called on those who live in the Holy=20
Land--Israelis and Palestinians--Jews, Christians and Muslims--to begin a ne=
w=20
effort at dialogue, recognizing that military might "cannot kill the soul of=
=20
a people, neither wipe off the image of God in any person nor can it kill ou=
r=20
hope." =20

A few hundreds of Pilgrims, many fewer than in most years, came to the Holy=20
City to celebrate Easter this year.  Normally the streets are jammed and thi=
s=20
year, because the Western and Eastern calendars coincide, vast crowds were=20
expected.  But church leaders and shop keepers alike were disappointed that=20
political tensions kept thousands away.

The Latin Patriarch may have been thinking of that when he said that Easter=20
provides "a reminder of the dignity of every human being, of the image of Go=
d=20
in all of us, the true basis of all rights and duties.  Resurrection is the=20
source of our unending hope."

The full text of the Patriarch's homily is as follows:

Christ is risen! Let us rejoice.

1.  The believer rejoices when he meditates on what happened here, in this=20
place.  Here the Lord Jesus Christ was submitted to humiliation and death.=20
Here he was put in this tomb.  And from this tomb, he is risen in glory.  Th=
e=20
apostles were the witnesses of what happened. =20

The third reading of today, from the Gospel of Saint John, reminds us the=20
events: "On the first day of the week, Maria of Magdala came early to the=20
tomb.  She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb.   She ran t=
o=20
the Apostles.  Peter and John came to see.  Peter entered first into the=20
tomb: he found it empty, and he saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, an=
d=20
also the cloth that had been over his head.  Then came the other disciple,=20
John.  The Gospel says: he saw and he believed" ( John 20:1-9).=20

Peter said also in the first reading, from the book of Acts: "We are=20
witnesses of what happened=E2=80=A6we who have eaten and drunk with him afte=
r his=20
resurrection from the dead" (Acts 10: 41).

Today, our faith is based on the faith of the Apostles and on the Revelation=
=20
of God who has manifested Himself to us, here in our land, in his Eternal=20
Word, Jesus Christ, true God and true man.  He came to offer reparation for=20
our sins, and to introduce us to His glory.  Infusing the power of his=20
divinity in our human weakness, he made us capable, we too, to experience hi=
s=20
glory in our life.  Therefore he filled us with joy and ardor and gave us th=
e=20
power to remain in love and to share in the building of our society, in all=20
circumstances, whatever may be the difficulties.

The apostles were the witnesses of the glorious Resurrection of the Lord. =20
Today we are the witnesses.  We still hear the words of Jesus to his=20
disciples before his Ascension to heaven, as if they were addressed to us=20
today in a particular way: "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and then you=20
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem" (Acts 1:8).  We are the witnesses of the=20
Resurrection. =20

As such we look to this tomb, and we look above, as says Saint Paul: "Since=20
you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look to the things that=20
are above" (Colossians 3,1). =20

We look above in order to have our feet firmer on earth. =20

We look above in order to contemplate the glory of God, in order to better=20
know His will, and so to witness to the Resurrection, by strengthening in=20
ourselves and in those with whom we live the hope and joy of the=20
Resurrection. =20

We look above where "Christ is sitting at God's right hand" (Col 3,1), in=20
order to increase our knowledge of Jesus-Christ, and to increase our power t=
o=20
proclaim that He is our guide, we and all those who want to believe in him,=20
towards the glory of the Resurrection.=20

2.  The resurrection of Jesus confirms us today in our faith and strengthens=
=20
it in order to know still better in whom we have believed and why we have=20
believed, and in order to know how to be Christians, courageous and faithful=
=20
to our Church and to our society, in the present times.

The glorious Resurrection of the Lord is for all of us, different Churches,=20=
a=20
reminding of unity.  It is a sign that we celebrate Easter together, on the=20
same date this year, the first year of the third millenium.  It is a sign=20
that reminds us the will of God who wants us to walk together towards unity,=
=20
confident that we can overcome all kinds of obstacles.=20

We thank God for the fraternal love among our Churches in these days, here i=
n=20
Jerusalem.  Nevertheless, God asks us for more.  And we can do everything in=
=20
Our Lord Jesus-Christ who strengthens us.  Nothing is impossible, especially=
=20
when we act to obey the will of God, not the will of men.  We ask God that=20
this Easter be a source of graces and more unity for all our Churches.=20

The Resurrection today is an appeal to us believers, and different religions=
,=20
for more dialogue, for more respect and mutual knowledge, an appeal to=20
understand the deep meaning of our faith in God, so that faith may become a=20
factor which brings us all together nearer to justice and peace.=20

Religious leaders believe in God to announce the word of God, to free it fro=
m=20
every racism and all kind of discrimination.  They announce the word of God=20
in order to resist all kinds of oppression, humiliation of human beings or=20
negation of their rights.

The Resurrection is, for us, who live within our bodies and souls, the=20
struggle of our two peoples in this land, a reminder of the dignity of every=
=20
human being, of the image of God in all of us, the true basis of all rights=20
and duties.  Resurrection is the source of our unending hope.  Military forc=
e=20
or any other kind of physical force will never cancel these rights neither=20
can it cancel the image of God.=20

Although many put the emphasis today on the right of the stronger, and on th=
e=20
force which can impose itself, through sieges, bombardments or killings.  Al=
l=20
these are means which can destroy houses, kill human persons, but cannot kil=
l=20
the soul of a people, neither wipe off the image of God in any person nor ca=
n=20
it kill our hope. =20

It is time for the political leaders to listen and to obey to the words of=20
the Psalmist: "You, earthly rulers, learn your lesson.  In fear be submissiv=
e=20
to God=E2=80=A6 lest he be angry and your way come to nothing" (Psalm 2:10).

The Resurrection is at last a comprehensive vision in which we see that our=20
life is a way of the cross which will end with the glory of the Resurrection=
.=20
 So was the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, so will be our life.  Because "th=
e=20
disciple is not better than the Master". Saint Paul tells us: "As God's dear=
=20
children, then take him as your pattern, and follow Christ by loving as he=20
loved you, giving himself up for us" (Ephesians 5:1-2). =20

Therefore, first of all, our life should be an imitation of God, and so=20
doing, we will be able to reach His glory in our life, despite all=20
difficulties with which we are confronted. Amen.

Christ is risen.  Indeed he is risen.  Amen.  Alleluia.

+ Michel Sabbah
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

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