From Jerusalem, Dr. Bernard Sabella reflects on the intertwining of the religious and political during this week when Judaism, Christianity and Islam celebrate holy days. Dr. Sabella is a Roman Catholic who directs the Middle East Council of Churches' Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR).  He is an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.  Last October, CMEP arranged for him to meet with US Administration officials and Congressional offices.  

Following Dr. Sabella's message is an Easter message from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem.   

A Holy Week for All

Dr. Bernard Sabella

Jerusalem

Tuesday, April 3^rd, 2007

Inspiration comes with commemoration. Moslems, Jews and Christians are going through days of inspiration judging from the holy days they respectively observe this week. Moslems celebrated on Saturday last Eid Al Mawled Al Nabawi (Birthday of the Prophet); Jews celebrate Pessach (Passover) today and Christians celebrate Easter on next Sunday. Each of these celebrations carries significance to the respective faithful. In fact, for some of these faithful their own sense of identity, their world view and their justification for doing or not doing things are all motivated by religious belief. When religious belief permeates one’s being all else falls in place, or so one would like to think. Difficult decisions and acts that are judged controversial and unacceptable by any standard are considered in the line of religious duty. They are often a proof not of prayer and meditation but of solidarity with one’s group and its ideals of history and religion, of selective experiential reality and of the world to come, both heavenly and earthly.  

No one group or individual is immune from impulsive religious beliefs and their effects. In the act of self and group justification, projection on others of the bad and ugly is one method whereby we stand on a different moral, ethical and spiritual plateau. This is a style used not only by religiously motivated politicians and practitioners but also by a variety of faithful, of all religions, driven by religious belief and commitment, among other things. In this sense, the religious experience that is supposedly intent on promoting self and group cohesiveness could become a way to denigrate others and to justify all acts against them. In the end, being confined in one’s religious belief and bounded by one’s group spells ignorance of others and their natural claims to precisely the same things that we claim.  

The failure of monotheistic religions lies in their inability to open up to each other’s narratives, beliefs and details of faith. Condescending attitudes abound while genuine mutual acceptance is rarely put to a test, if ever. This is evidenced in the conflict over the Holy Land, venerated and sanctified by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. While the conflict, in its very nature is political territorial, the religious dimension nevertheless is intertwined particularly with the territorial. Trying to disengage the religious from the political and territorial becomes a formidable task especially when the religious is used as basis for territorial claims.  

In this week of holy celebrations, it is most appropriate to send to the faithful of the three religions wishes for blessed and happy commemoration of the respective great feasts and holidays. This is an elementary sign of mutual religious acceptance and it reflects the good in one’s heart but clearly it is not enough. In the long run, much needs to be done particularly by the religious leadership. While this leadership remains limited in its political clout nevertheless, it has the heavy responsibility of seeing to it that a basis is found in which the faithful of the respective religions learn to appreciate and respect each other’s narratives and beliefs. It is then that one can hope that the religious will cease to be a basis for claims that negate the other and what he/she stands for. It is then that the test of the belief in the One God can become a factor for peacemaking and healing rather than for continued confrontation and plight. 

Easter Message 2007
The Patriarch and Heads of Local Churches in Jerusalem

"All I want is to know Christ and the power of His Resurrection and to share His sufferings" (Philippians ch. 3 v.10).

Sisters and Brothers here and in all the world
We greet you in the name of our Risen Lord and ask God to fill you with the joy and the strength of the Resurrection.

Having opposed early Christians and, indeed, sought to bring many of them to trial for their faith, St. Paul I suddenly challenged by our Blessed Lord as he journeyed to Damascus. Within a short time he became a powerful messenger for Jesus. Reading his various Epistles we see he has much to say on many aspects of the Christian Faith. The statement he sets before the Philippians is regarded by many people as the most powerful: "All I want is to know Christ & the power of His Resurrection & to share His sufferings". In this short sentence he links the Cross and the Resurrection. The sufferings he has to face for his faith lead him to become conscious of the power of the Resurrection given to those who truly believe, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yet again, recent months have shown us much of the hardships and sufferings people have to endure, not least in this Land. Much of this burden has arisen from man's inhumanity to man together with his deprivation of basic human dignity and rights, as it happens to us because of the siege imposed upon us.

Our Blessed Lord challenges all of us that if we would be His disciples we must take up our Cross and follow Him. In the midst of sufferings we reach the power of the Resurrection and the power of the Spirit that enables us to take away the oppressions that are imposed upon us.

So, as we celebrate the joy of Easter we must examine carefully where we stand in relation to God. Many of us need to abandon the selfish instinct within us. If we would truly seek the power of the Resurrection in our lives then we must disregard any idea we might have of self-sufficiency or worldly hopes that hide from our eyes the things of heaven and of the Spirit. If we believe in the Resurrection, we must affirm that our security is with God and in the power of the Resurrection. Again St. Paul reminds us when writing to the Corinthians:
"We have this treasure. It is in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent Power belong to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians ch.4 v.1).

Despite our weakness and despite the unjust circumstances imposed upon us, the power of God can free us if we come to understand the logic of the Spirit in us and if we accept to behave accordingly.

On the first Good Friday the disciples of Jesus doubtless felt shattered.  However, gradually their faith was restored as they became conscious of their Risen Lord. Their own personal darkness of fear and uncertainty was suddenly illuminated by the light of Jesus' Resurrection.

So as we celebrate the Resurrection we must be more diligent in searching for the light and in using it to build a better tomorrow for all of us, Palestinians or Israelis, Moslems, Jews, Christians and Druzes. WE research for the light that comes from God, illuminates all Creation, guides every true believer in his search, and helping him to find God's freedom for all His people together with His peace and justice.

As we greet our sisters and brothers across the world we wish them the joy of Easter and the power of the Risen Lord in their daily lives. Whilst conscious of the care and concern shown by many of you we again would ask for your particular prayers for this Land that God will guide all its governors and show them the path of justice and equality between all. Pray for the newly formed Unity Government of the Palestinians together with the Israeli Government and the Arab Initiative, to work for taking away fear and hence all oppression, the walls, the barriers and the prisons, so that hearts become full of trust and all can enjoy the same freedom and the same dignity. Then we would ask that you make a particular effort to encourage your particular nation to stop the embargo imposed upon us and to restore its aid to the Palestinians. Many vital areas of community are in a desperate plight as a result of the withholding of this aid- not least justice, economy, medical and educational etc….

As all Christians across the world celebrate Easter together we wish everyone, at home and abroad, that joy which our Blessed Lord's Resurrection brings. We ask God to bestow upon all the joy and the power of the resurrection so that the words of Jesus become real as He said: "I have come so that they may have life and have it to he full".
(St .John ch.10 v.10).

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!
May you experience a Happy and Holy Easter!

Jerusalem, April 2007