wfn.org | Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch Mourns Victims of Violence, Urges End to

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For information contact:

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, March 27, 2002---The Latin (Catholic) Patriarch of
Jerusalem today issued an Easter message mourning the victims of recent
violence between Israelis and Palestinians and calling upon Israel to end the
occupation of the area where his parishes are located.

         Patriarch Michel Sabbah issued his annual message from his office
near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which houses the traditional site of
the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

         His message this year came at a time when urgent negotiations to end
hostilities have been going on for several days.  The text of his message
follows:

Easter Message 2002
of Patriarch Michel Sabbah

Brothers and Sisters:

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: bMy God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?b
  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, from 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 Godbs
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: bI
am listening. What is Godbs message? Godbs message is peace for his
people,
for his faithful, if only they renounce their follyb&Faithful love and
loyalty
join together. Saving Justice and Peace embraceb.

          (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: bHis saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory
will
dwell in our landb  (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: bso that as Christ was raised
from the dead  by the Fatherbs glorious power, we too should begin a new
lifeb
 (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, Patriarch