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Above: Pope Francis celebrates his birthday on Dec. 17, 2023, with children and families who are assisted by the Vatican’s Santa Marta Pediatric Dispensary. Credit: Vatican Media
On this first anniversary of the latest violence between Jews and Muhammadans in the Middle East, the Holy Father has asked all Catholics to observe fasting and prayer on this, the feast day of Our Lady of Victory.
I mentioned before that the Holy Father’s handling of this new crisis is one of the 13 Good Things Pope Francis has done, while Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has acted like a man of God since day one, offering himself as a hostage and giving his life for peace while shepherding his diverse flock of Israeli and Palestinian Catholics (with many other ethnicities and nationalities). The Holy Father has released the following “Letter to the Catholics of the Middle East” to address this flock in Arabic, English, French and Italian:
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Dear brothers and sisters,
I am thinking of you and praying for you. I want to reach out to you on this sad day. A year ago, the fuse of hatred was lit; it did not sputter, but exploded in a spiral of violence, in the shameful inability of the international community and the most powerful countries to silence the weapons and put an end to the tragedy of war. Blood is still being shed, as are tears. Anger is growing, along with the desire for revenge, while it seems that few people care about what is most needed and what is most desired: dialogue and peace. I never tire of repeating that war is a defeat, that weapons do not build the future but destroy it, that violence never brings peace. History proves this, yet years and years of conflict seem to have taught us nothing.
And you, brothers and sisters in Christ who dwell in the lands of which the Scriptures speak most often, are a small, defenceless flock, thirsting for peace. Thank you for what you are, thank you for wanting to remain in your lands, thank you for being able to pray and love despite everything. You are a seed loved by God. Just as a seed, apparently pressed down by the earth that covers it, is always able to find its way upwards, towards the light, in order to bear fruit and give life, do not let yourselves be engulfed by the darkness that surrounds you. Planted in your sacred lands, become sprouts of hope, because the light of faith leads you to testify to love amid words of hatred, to encounter amid growing confrontation, to unity amid increasing hostility.
With the heart of a father, I write to you, God’s holy people, children of your ancient Churches, today experiencing a real “martyrdom”, seeds of peace amid the winter of war, believers in Jesus who is “gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29) and, in him, witnesses to the power of a non-violent peace.
People today do not know how to find peace. As Christians, we must never tire of imploring peace from God. That is why, on this day, I have urged everyone to observe a day of prayer and fasting. Prayer and fasting are the weapons of love that change history, the weapons that defeat our one true enemy: the spirit of evil that foments war, because it is “murderous from the beginning”, “a liar and the father of lies” (Jn 8:44). Please, let us devote time to prayer and rediscover the saving power of fasting!
There is one thing that I wish to say to you, from the bottom of my heart, dear brothers and sisters, but also to the men and women of every confession and religion who in the Middle East are suffering from the insanity of war: I am close to you, I am with you.
I am with you, the people of Gaza, long embattled and in dire straits. You are in my thoughts and prayers daily.
I am with you, who have been forced to leave your homes, to abandon schooling and work and to find a place of refuge from the bombing.
I am with you, the mothers who weep while looking at your dead or wounded children, like Mary at the sight of Jesus; with you, the children of the great lands of the Middle East, where the intrigues of those in power deprive you of your right to play.
I am with you, who are afraid to look up for fear of fire raining down from the skies.
I am with you, who have no voice, for despite all the talk of plans and strategies, there is little concern for those who suffer the devastation of war, which the powerful impose on others; yet they will be subject to the inflexible judgement of God (cf. Wis 6:8).
I am with you, who thirst for peace and justice, and refuse to yield to the logic of evil and, in the name of Jesus, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44).
Thank you, sons and daughters of peace, for consoling the heart of God, wounded by the evil of humanity. I also thank those throughout the world who assist you. I ask them, who in you care for Christ himself in the hungry, the sick, the stranger, the outcast, the poor and the needy, to continue to do so with generosity. Thank you, brother bishops and priests, who bring God’s consolation to those who feel alone and abandoned. Please look to the holy people you are called to serve and let your hearts be touched, putting aside, for the sake of your flock, all division and ambition.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, I bless you and embrace you with heartfelt affection.
May Our Lady, Queen of Peace, watch over you. May Saint Joseph, Patron of the Church, protect you.
Fraternally,
FRANCIS
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I lament the fact that the Holy Father does not also address the Israelis and Hebrew Catholics, but we might assume that they are included too even though the letter is not written in Modern Hebrew. Nevertheless, there are many good things the Holy Father does say, and by doing so he leads the world in doing what is right, as I will discuss in a moment.
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Contributing editor to OnePeterFive, Mr. Eric Sammons, had this comment today:
In the past year:
• The 10/7/23 Hamas attack killed more than 1,200 people, including 282 women and 36 children.
• 251 adults and children were taken hostage, with about 100 still being held in Gaza.
• More than 41,600 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 11,300 children and nearly 6,300 women.
• Israeli military operations have damaged or destroyed nearly 60% of buildings in Gaza.
• 90% of Gaza’s population has been forcibly displaced at least once during the past year of war.
No one wins with war; peace is the only solution. Pray for peace in the Holy Land!
[SOURCE]
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We must always put a human face back on war again and again. As the Austrian Emperor – who had seen much combat himself – said on the eve of World War I:
Among the States of the American Empire, we have a huge problem with this, with many voices urging all sorts of military engagements because they look at these things so abstracting as to see only numbers and territory. Let all the bureaucrats who conduct war go themselves and fight on the front lines for only one hour, then their opinion of war will rapidly change.
But let us return to the words from the Holy Father.
Just a few points are apropos here: first, we should thank God that the Holy Father is leading the world today in doing the right thing. “Please, let us devote time to prayer and rediscover the saving power of fasting!” Thank you, Your Holiness! Let’s fast today and then join our lay sodality of fasting to do just that.
The Holy Father is spot on: “Prayer and fasting are the weapons of love that change history, the weapons that defeat our one true enemy: the spirit of evil that foments war[.]” As the Lord said These kind [of demons] do not come out but by prayer and fasting.
After fasting with our prayer against the devil, let us consider the other potent piece of wisdom the Holy Father says: “in the name of Jesus, ‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’”
Only this reconciliation can bring peace. The problem is that Rabbinic Judaism has the “virtue of hate,” and Muhammadanism has their version of “peace”: submit to Islam. Only the Christians can lead the peace process by reconciling enemies into brothers by means of baptism.
If they refuse baptism, at least they can tolerate a Christian-led peaceful co-existence of mutual respect and toleration for the common good. This includes applying the traditional Catholic doctrine of toleration of false religions. The social order in the Middle East and everywhere must be devoted to the Prince of Peace who commands all men to love their enemies – or at the very least, stop killing their enemies with their wives and children. If it is not so devoted, the western secular democracy will create more crises and wars in the Middle East by promoting their false form of “diversity” which only offends the pious sensibilities of Christians, Jews and Muslims alike.
Today I am grateful that the Holy Father has led the world in the way that many of his predecessors have done before: imitating Christ in reconciling enemies, and lifting up the little ones.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Mt. v. 9).
T. S. Flanders
Editor
Our Lady of Victory
