NJPN Conference Reflection

Ann Farr. Image ICN/JS

Ann Farr, of Pax Christi International gave the reflection during Mass the NJPN Conference in Swanwick on Saturday.

In the gospel readings of the last few weeks we have heard Jesus sending out the disciples, the parable of the Good Samaritan and the story of Martha and Mary all of which teach us about trust, the need to listen, to see what needs doing and to take action. All are about making choices.

Today, in Abraham's conversations with God we hear his confidence in God, in his continuous pleading for the righteous to be saved and his expectation that 'the Judge of all the Earth, will do what is just.' He keeps on and on, trusting in the hope that God will do what is right.

In the Gospel, having seen Jesus pray, the disciples are moved to ask him to teach them to pray and we have the prayer that has come down through the centuries as the Family Prayer of Christians. It is our community prayer, it is about right relationship with each other and God

The story of the friend woken up at night by his neighbour includes the impudence and persistence that comes of desperation and many of us will recognise that from events in our own lives.

Every Palestinian family, then and now, would give hospitality and refreshments to anyone visiting them, no matter what time it is, or who they are, and will go to any lengths to ensure that they do this - even when it means annoying a neighbour.

Our work for Justice involves working together to develop our awareness, through accompanying and listening to those suffering injustice and endless pleading with God, our neighbours, politicians at local and national level and with church leaders. All of which is rooted in prayer and reflection on Scripture

Our time together this weekend is to help us look towards a Just Peace

Not just peace, and there's a lot of 'fluffy' peace around, but a Just Peace … the Peace of Christ

Bishop Mary Gregory, when Canon of Coventry Cathedral, suggested that the Peace of Christ, 'it is to take seriously the woundedness of God's People, to name the lack of peace and journey towards the richest understanding of justice.'

We have many examples of those who show us the way on that journey and I often think about a friend,

Jean Zaru, a Palestinian Quaker Theologian, who has said: "We cannot live a day without saying yes or no to death or to life, to war or to peace. The choice is ours. There is no compromise in this matter. To postpone or to evade decision is to decide, to hide is to decide, to compromise is to decide. There is no escape, this is our challenge."

Working for justice means we are frequently challenged and that we are involved in so many areas where we see people suffering and a remarkable number of issues will have touched the hearts of everyone here. Our hearts have been broken often by the people we have seen and the stories we have heard and even more so by the silence or the inaction of those who have the power to make a differences and ensure that the dignity of each person is respected.

In the last two years our hearts and minds have been with those in Palestine and Israel. A Palestinian friend said to me at the end of 2023, "I am trying to live a normal life." This is now impossible in both Gaza and the West Bank. There is no normal - but the daily choices of desperately trying to survive.

At that same time I saw a small child saying, " I am tired of war." Now after the killing of 18,000 children, the unthinkable numbers of family members killed, injured and buried under the rubble, some children are saying they want to die, to escape from the constant, unbearable violence, starvation and thirst and because they want to be with their parents and siblings who have been killed. We have no words any more to express what we feel as we watch Israel's genocide in Gaza and their ethnic cleansing and annexation of the West Bank.

Over the years those of us involved in this advocacy, alongside our Palestinian and Israeli partners, have been taught the concept of SUMUD, meaning steadfastness, resilience and perseverance. In Palestine the image of SUMUD is the olive tree, deeply rooted, long lived and bearing the new life of blossom and fruit. It is planted with huge physical effort, in very stony ground and is soon surrounded by viciously spikey plant as well as beautiful carpets of wild flowers. Despite farmers being refused access to tend their trees and the lack of water, the trees survive and can live for thousands of years.

If damaged, and they are frequently burnt, cut down or slashed by the Israeli military or settlers, the trees can regenerate with branches bringing forth blossom and new fruit.

A Palestinian friend has described SUMUD as patience and persistence - not giving up - despite everything. It is to stand strong and deeply rooted and recognise the need to try and find hope. A hope that knows a different way is possible. It is about our humanity and the humanity and dignity of ALL human beings.

WE are sent out to be peacemakers and we do that by working for justice, where we see it is missing. We are privileged to be alongside and to accompany others at different times and in different places…. We listen to them, we speak out with them and we take whatever action is possible for us at that time.

Both Pope Francis and Pope Leo have condemned the violence and begged for a ceasefire, an end to the arms industry that has fuelled the onslaught and for all the humanitarian aid that is needed to be let in immediately.

The Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pizzaballa and the Orthodox Patriarch, Theophilos who have pastoral care of those in Holy Family and St Porphyrius parishes have spoken out strongly on behalf of everyone in Gaza.

After the recent Israeli military attack on the Church of the Holy Family, the Patriarchs made a visit of solidarity to Gaza to visit the Christians in both communities, the Al Ahli Hospital and Caritas

On their return to Jerusalem and they said,

We have returned from Gaza with broken hearts. But also encouraged by the testimony of many people we met.

They said they stood among the rubble and encountered something deeper than the destruction - the dignity of the human spirit that refuses to be extinguished, mothers preparing food for their children, nurses treating wounds with gentleness and people of all faiths still praying to the God who sees and never forgets.

Christ is not absent from Gaza he is there - crucified in the wounded, buried under the rubble and yet present in every hand extended to the suffering.

The Cardinal stresses that their mission, and ours, is not just for a specific group - but for all. Every Christian Centre is a place of encounter and sharing for all, Christians, Muslims, believers, doubters, refugees, children, - for everyone.

He appeals to us and all the international community to do what is right, in a way that restores human dignity. He says it is a time to end this nonsense, end the war and put the common good of people as the top priority.

As we join in our community prayer in a few minutes, we will ask for our daily bread and keep in mind those who have none and the final words of the Latin Patriarch -

Let us not turn peace into a slogan, while war remains the daily bread of the poor.

We will go from here to deepen our solidarity and accompaniment of each other and of those who suffer injustice, together we will listen to them, and with them will continue our constant pleading that everyone, especially those in positions of leadership and power will condemn the injustices and take action so that justice will be done - as God intends - and we will take whatever action we can to work towards a Just Peace for everyone. Doing this in the spirit of Sumud, with patience, persistence and resistance, standing firm and rooted in the Spirit of God and the hope that things can be different.