the ‘mission’ of Christians, ‘light’ in the darkness of the Middle East

In his message for the feast, the Chaldean primate recalled the many “trials” past and present. The task of discovering the vocation and responding with “confidence, courage and enthusiasm”. The resurrection, the “most important” event, without which “faith is meaningless.” The example of the apostles and the call to a Church “living heritage of the martyrs”.

Baghdad () – In the East, Christians are continually “tested” by wars, violence, confessional attacks and increasing emigration, and for this reason they must increasingly remember their “mission”. This is what the Chaldean Primate, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, wrote in his message to the priests and faithful of the community in Iraq and throughout the world on the occasion of Easter, which was published on the Patriarchate website. . “Our existence is not a coincidence, but a divine plan,” said the cardinal. Hence the task of “discovering clearly” this vocation and “adhering to it with confidence, courage and enthusiasm”.

For Iraqi Christians, it is a Holy Week of lights and shadows, in which there is a strong desire to participate in services at the community level, in the face of daily difficulties that threaten their presence and future in the region. An attempt at rebirth after the dark years of the US invasion, the wars that followed, the emigrations and the violence of the Islamic State, as well as the closure that was imposed in recent years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the call to mission that Christians in the Middle East must carry out remains strong, stronger than any persecution: “We are not afraid, no matter how many we are when we are ‘salt’ of the earth, ‘leaven’ in the mass and ‘light’ in the darkness, as Christ has called us to be,” said Card. Sako.

However, only with mutual help and support will it be possible to overcome the tests imposed by a daily life that continues to be critical, without forgetting certain parliamentary and government laws that affect Christians, such as those referring to the sale of alcohol and the electoral reform. “Let us remain in solidarity and support each other in the midst of these crises,” exhorted the Chaldean primate, “and mutually ease our pain, like Simon of Cyrene, who helped Jesus carry the cross, and Veronica, who wiped his face with his handkerchief.” And on that piece of cloth, Jesus imprinted “his image of him” on him so that it would also be imprinted “on our hearts.”

The resurrection, the cardinal continued, is “the most important event in the life of Christians”, without which “faith has no meaning”. Recalling Christ’s words to Thomas: “Do not be incredulous, but believe,” the patriarch urged to make this “faith experience” a “source of inspiration.” And like the first Christians who “sacrificed everything, including their lives” for love of Jesus, so “our Church of the East is a living heritage of martyrs, to whom we must constantly return.”

The experience of the resurrection “as it was given to the apostles” thus “comforts us in the midst of difficult times” in which Iraqi and Eastern Christians continually live. “It gives us the ability to remain firm and face attacks with patience and trust,” warned the cardinal. And he concluded: “I take advantage of the glorious feast of the resurrection to convey to Iraqi Christians in particular, and to Christians in the world in general , my most affectionate congratulations and blessings, wishing them and all humanity fairer conditions, peace, stability, solidarity and joy”.