Dear Brothers and Sisters, and our dear Pilgrims of Ibillin,

We feel confused about what to share with you. We have shared that the very expected ceasefire took place and gave us hope that we would no more watch children, women and men massacred with a kind of absurd inclination, to vengeance alas. Alas, our joy burst, we danced too early long before the wedding. Israel is back to war. It was declared publicly that what they want is to destroy every home, every building which is still standing.

Soon we will celebrate the Passover, and for us, Christians, the resurrection of the Lord.

Jews and Christians will be celebrating at the same time. We feel confused when at the same time seeing groups celebrating liberation while doing everything possible to enslave each other and to remain enslaved in their arrogance. This is just shocking.

At MEEI we are celebrating the Resurrection and we are educating our children to continue being ambassadors of Resurrection. Our message for Easter to our students and to our staff members is centered on the message of Christ to Mary on the day of the annunciation, to Simon the father of John the Baptist, to Joseph, to the Shepherds and to some others. It was and it is still, fear not, you are not hopeless, you don’t need to despair, since Christ through his death has destroyed death and gave us the blessing of God and eternal life. We became the Children of Resurrection. We don’t fear those who kill the body and can’t do anything else. Indeed, we are invited to carry the light that shined out from the tomb of Christ. It is time for us celebrating the resurrection of Christ, to carry the light in the presence of darkness and to keep the hope amidst despair.

At Mar Elias Institutions we celebrate, before it happened, the resurrection. And we want now to share with you, no matter who you are. We want to affirm that what unites us is stronger than what separates us. This is the key to our life together, Christians, Muslims, Druze and Jews. We are commissioned to help each other to keep our religions and our faith and with that creating unity within diversity. One of the beautiful things that the Quraan says: The best among you is the one who is loyal to God’s commandments. It is not the Muslim who is best, it is not the Christian who is the better one, nor is the Jew who is the most righteous. It is among all of those, the one who fears God and who humbles himself to be a sign of hope beyond despair to all his neighbors, to all his brothers and sisters who were likewise born babies, and destined to have a dignity and to enjoy freedom and spread peace around.

It is with this conviction that I greet you all and affirm that you are very dearly loved.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

_________________________

Abuna Elias Chacour

Archbishop Emeritus of Galilee