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July 13, 2014
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The tragic events of recent weeks, brought about by the escalating violence, leave us shocked and dismayed.
The loss of innocent lives, young people and children among them, move us to mourn with those who mourn and weep with those who weep.
In Gaza last night, while the Israeli Forces launched a military attack against Gaza by sea and air, via artillery shells, hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children were unable to sleep inside their tin-roof houses, clinging to their parents, crying and terrified. Their feeling of insecurity throws its shadow against all of the population, as the military operation continues, with threats of expansion in the coming days, and there is no news about any ceasefire.
In the midst of such violence, our prayers for peace ascend to heaven, to the God and Father of us all, beseeching God to help all of us to choose love over hate, and peace over war.
Today’s Gospel reading makes it perfectly clear that each of us is to bear fruit that heals and does not harm, that unites and does not divide, that builds up and does not destroy, that sanctifies life and does not desecrate it.
Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to be peacemakers, to love our enemies even, to see each other as made in the image of God, deserving of respect and dignity.
When there is dehumanization of the other, not the fruit of love and peace prevail, but the bad fruit of hate and violence.
In this land of two peoples and three faiths, we must walk together, side by side, in peaceful co-existence.
The Christian Community, encouraged by the example of Jesus who overcame hatred with love, must be the bridge that allows all people to come together. Our Lord’s outstretched arms say to all the peoples of the earth that you are the children of God.
Religion must never be a part of the reason or justification for discord among people. Religion must be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Religious fanaticism and extremism distort the true essence of religion. At its best, religion reveals the love of God and the dignity of the human person.
Since the start of my episcopacy in 2007, I have made peace and reconciliation a central priority of the mission of the Diocese of Jerusalem.
My founding of and continuing support for Kids-for-Peace is one example of this. Another is my hosting of an annual iftar here at the Cathedral Close.
For five consecutive years now, I have brought together Christian and Muslim leaders of Jerusalem to share the break-fast meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Just this past Wednesday evening, we gathered together for Iftar in the Bishop’s Peace Garden. Though fully aware of the violence taking place around us, especially in Gaza, here in Jerusalem we came together in peace, mutual respect, and solidarity.
In some parts of the region, such a gathering would be impossible.
And, it could be thought impossible here, if it were not for our commitment to be bearers of that kind of fruit which nourishes harmonious community and unity in diversity.
Together in the Peace Garden, Christians and Muslims modeled mutual respect, cooperation, and friendship.
Adherents of two religions were together in fellowship, demonstrating harmony and goodwill.
The people of God must be people of Peace.
It has been said, the two peoples of the Holy Land are condemned to live together. Might it be that we are instead destined by God to live together?
Religious leaders are called to guide their communities of faith toward peace and justice.
Kids-for-Peace and the Annual Iftar are bearing such fruit.
Also this week, the Heads of Churches issued a joint statement where we expressed our compassion for those who mourn and our unanimous call for an immediate ceasefire.
In addition, we met as an interfaith council, with representatives of the three Abrahamic faiths, as well as others, and jointly called for peace and an end to violence.
The Gospel is clear, we are known by the fruit we bear. As Christians of this holy city, the Spirit of God was poured out upon us at Pentecost.
There are nine fruits of the Spirit. Among them are: Love, Peace, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, and Self-control.
With such virtuous gifts of the Spirit, there is no room for hate and violence. Instead, our hearts, minds, and souls are to be fixed on peace and justice for all people.
Jesus once said, ‘the fields are white unto harvest but the labourers are few.’
Unfortunately, those who do the will of God are few, and those who sow the seed of God’s truth also are few.
We need committed people in our region to take seriously the harvest of love, peace, and justice.
Are we among those trying by word and deed to make our Lord known, and to continue working for a genuine peace built on justice?
In today’s reading from Romans, we learn that we are set free from sin and death, and now live, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, which, St. Paul says, is Life and Peace!
May God grant to all God’s children the fruits of the Spirit so that we may live together here and throughout the whole earth in peace with justice.
Peace is possible, a saint of the Church said, when we realize that we belong to each other. It is a work of the Spirit that moves our hearts with love to build a peaceful and just world for all God’s children.
Amen.