We have lived through many Christmases during which that glorious feast of the Nativity of Christ was infused with joy and delight, as festive prayers in churches celebrated the birth of Jesus the Saviour. There were other years when Christmas coincided with hard events and painful experiences on the personal, family, community, nation, or global levels. This undoubtedly cast shadows over the normally joyful celebrations. But it was never cause to replace the joy with sadness or despair; the Glorious Nativity of Christ has always upheld love and peace, and has always bestowed comfort, faith and hope.
Comfort, faith and hope… We hold on to these this Christmas as we share the pain experienced by families, brothers, and sisters who have gone or are going through difficult circumstances. We especially hold on to them in solidarity with the Palestinians who have been harshly suffering for three months now from the terrible war in Gaza. This war and its shattering consequences on Gaza’s people have shaken the consciences of the peoples of the world but alas, not its governments. We pray with undying hope that the Lord Almighty would rescue them from the war horrors and atrocities, and lead them to a future of healed wounds and generous compensation for the long hard years of abuse, displacement and deprivation.
Amid these sad circumstances, and in solidarity with the Churches in Bethlehem and Jerusalem which, in an act of support for the Palestinian people, have replaced this Christmas’s traditional Nativity scene of the ‘Baby in the manger’ with a ‘Baby under the rubble’, I launch a call to pray for peace in the world.
Instead of extending best wishes for a happy Christmas, I call on His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church; and all metropolitans, bishops and clergy to join in praying for peace. I also extend this call for prayer to the heads, pastors and congregations of Catholic and Evangelical Churches. I pray that our Heavenly Father extends His tender healing Hand over every person who is suffering, and I pray that the Lord protects our Egypt and keeps it from all harm.
Watani International
5 January 2024
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