On 7 October, one year after the attack by Hamas on Israel and the start of a war, the end of which cannot be seen, the Pope has written a “Letter to the Catholics of the Middle East” (the complete letter is attached). This is how Francis wants to express his closeness, “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.”
The Pope harshly condemns the war with heartfelt words, and blames 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,” but above all points out the path and the vocation of the “small defenceless flock, thirsting for peace” who live in the places of the Scriptures.
“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 (...) seeds of peace amid the winter of war. 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.”
Lastly, he urges everyone to devote time to prayer and rediscover the saving power of 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.”
Marinella Bandini
