Christmastime Messages

Below are excerpts from and links to the 2007 Christmas message from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, individual messages from the Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan and the Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, and a message from Dr. Bernard Sabella, a Palestinian Roman Catholic sociologist and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for Jerusalem.  Dr. Sabella draws attention to the convergence of three major holidays this December: Hannukkah, the Jewish Feast of Lights, Eid El Adha, the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice, and Christmas.  He concludes his message with the hope that Christmas can “remind each and every one of us that the great holiday traditions in Judaism, Christianity and Islam can and should be shared and appreciated by all.” 

Christmas Message 2007, Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

“If Peace is to come to this Land it needs even greater effort from all concerned - ordinary citizens as well as Political leaders.  Christmas reminds us that God gave us the Prince of Peace to be born in Bethlehem so we must all seek that peace for everyone in this Holy Land, be they Palestinian or Israeli, Christian, Moslem or Jew and Druze.”  

Christmas Message from Jerusalem 2007, Bishop Dr. Munib Younan, “Do you Hear What I Hear?"

“Do you hear what I hear?  The voice of life and love that calls us to kneel to a child, to prepare the way for a better future for all of our children, for salvation, peace, justice and hope.  The voice of the ones who don't have a place at the inn.  The voice that today calls Palestinians, Israelis and our whole world toward justice and non-violence and away from war and extremism. The voice that calls our leaders to take up their power and lead in a different direction: Preparing the way of justice, for justice is the only way that will lead to a comprehensive peace, security and freedom for all.” 

Christmas Message 2007 from the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah

“Again this year, we celebrate Christmas still searching for a peace that seems impossible. Nevertheless, we believe that peace is possible.  Palestinians and Israelis are capable of living together in peace, each in their own territory, each enjoying their security, their dignity, and their rights.  But to attain that peace, it is necessary to believe that Israelis and Palestinians are equal in all things, that they have the same rights and the same duties, and that both parties must adopt the ways of God, which are not the ways of violence, whether they be carried out by the State or by extremists.” 

Message from Dr. Bernard Sabella, “Letter to an Israeli in Christmas Time”

“The necessity lies in peacemaking and not in separation walls.  The responsibility to move forward towards peace lies squarely on both Israeli and Palestinian sides. There is no excuse trying to derail any moves towards peace by insisting that it is the other side’s responsibility to show its willingness and readiness to stop the use of the military and violence, respectively. We are symbiotically tied to each other and while Christmas and Bethlehem stand out only around the last week of December, the message of Bethlehem is one calling for people to be together and for the good will to overcome the particular interests and narrow interpretations and interests of political positions.”  

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