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CV NEWS FEED // During a pre-Christmas homily delivered at the Catholic parish in Gaza this weekend, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem told the parishioners: “You have become the light of our Church in the entire world.”
“I first express my great joy at being among you today and extend to you the greetings of everyone who conveys their love, prayers, and solidarity with you,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said. “Everyone wanted to come and be with you and bring gifts, but we couldn’t carry much. You have become the light of our Church in the entire world.”
According to the Patriarchate’s website, the Cardinal was denied passage to Gaza by Israeli authorities; but a complaint from Pope Francis allowed the Patriarch the rare opportunity to meet with his small Catholic flock. He visited Holy Family Parish in Gaza to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation, and celebrate Christmas Mass for the parishioners on Dec. 22.
He told the parishioners, including a group of children gathered for Confirmation, “At Christmas, we celebrate the light and ask: Where is this light? The light is here, in this church. The beginning of the light is Jesus Christ, who is the source of our life. If we are a light to the world, it is only because of Him. At Christmas, I pray that Jesus grants us this light.”
Cardinal Pizzaballa told the faithful that they must remain hopeful, but that the only way to remain hopeful is to remain in Jesus.
He added later, “But most importantly, we must not allow hatred to infiltrate our hearts. If you want to remain a light, we must make our hearts available for Jesus alone.”
“This year has been a significant challenge to our faith, for all of us, and especially for you. Sometimes, we asked, ‘Until when, O Lord?’” the Cardinal continued. “Today, we answer with our will: ‘We want this situation to end soon, but we want to remain with You, O Lord.’ Christ affirmed this by saying, ‘I am Emmanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us.’”
The Cardinal comforted the parishioners by saying that someday the war would end, and they would rebuild what was destroyed in that time. It is also crucial to protect one’s heart to be able to rebuild, he said.
“We must preserve our unity to keep the light of Christ here in Gaza, in our region, and in the world. We have a mission, and you must also give something, not just receive,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said. “The world that looks at you must see to whom you belong, whether you belong to the light or to darkness? Do you belong to Jesus, who gives his life, or another?”
The Cardinal thanked the Christians for their witness and faithfulness during the war, and for continuing to follow Jesus.
“May Christmas bring light to each of us. Do be afraid, for no one can take Christ’s light from us,” he said. “Continue to give the good testimony of the Christian faith.”
