A Man of Peace

On February 5, 2019 Pope Francis, in a historic visit to Abu Dhabi, concelebrated a Mass with bishops and priests, particularly from the Eastern Catholic Churches, in a variety of languages (including Arabic) that signified the universal character of the Church (see it here). It was like a new spring or Pentecost with some 135,000 Christians participating too with different services with a large choir and a number of readers as well as servers in the large stadium. Muslim leaders attended the Mass and, in a gesture of mutual respect, embraced the Bishop of Rome. It was the largest ever Christian act of worship in the Arabian Peninsula. In his homily, the Holy Father acknowledged the suffering endured by foreign workers who left their families behind to come and work. He called them "Blessed". He said "To live the life of the blessed and following the way of Jesus does not, however, mean always being cheerful. Someone who is afflicted, who suffers injustice, who does everything he can to be a peacemaker, knows what it means to suffer. It is most certainly not easy for you to live far from home, missing the affection of your loved ones, and perhaps also feeling uncertainty about the future. But the Lord is faithful and does not abandon his people. A story from the life of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the great founder of monasticism in the desert, may be helpful to us. He left everything for the Lord and found himself in the desert. There, for a time, he was immersed in a bitter spiritual struggle that gave him no peace; he was assaulted by doubts and darkness, and even by temptation to give in to nostalgia and regrets about his earlier life. But then, after all this torment the Lord consoled him, and Saint Anthony asked him: “Where were you? Why did you not appear before to free me from my suffering? Where were you?” But then he clearly heard Jesus’ answer: “I was here, Anthony” (Saint Athanasius, Vita Antonii, 10). The Lord is close. It can happen that, when faced with fresh sorrow or a difficult period, we think we are alone, even after all the time we have spent with the Lord. But in those moments, where he might not intervene immediately, he walks at our side. And if we continue to go forward, he will open up a new way for us; for the Lord specializes in doing new things; he can even open paths in the desert (cf. Is 43:19)." The entire homily can be read on the Vatican website here. The visit marked a historic reconciliation between Christians and Muslims since the Pope had warned that the future of humanity can be directed by human leaders and their followers to love and collaboration or to hatred and violence which would result in no future and the end of humanity. Regardless of what inner intentions of leaders may be, we can continue to trust that God will always walk with those of good will. "God is love" (1 John 4:8). In the beginning, the Spirit of God hovered over darkness to transform it to light (Genesis 1: 1-2). Creation is a reflection of God's own self-less love. Everything demands love to live. Selfish husband or wife will likely see their marriage in ruins and their children will pay the price psychologically. The God of Christians is the reverse of Allah that "plots and Allah is the best of plotters." (Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal 8:30). For defending the truth, Christ was betrayed and crucified by his own people...He did not go on conquests to force tribes and peoples into his religion. Yet, God is so close to the little souls and ordinary people that "a bruised reed he shall not break" (Isaiah 42)...
Reconciliation is a blessing for all in God's eyes since it could end violence caused by radical Islam and other radical groups...

Thérèse of Lisieux