杏MAP导航

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

As final preparations kick into high gear for 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� scheduled Apostolic Journey to Iraq from 5 鈥� 8 March, the Holy Father issued a message on Thursday to Iraqis ahead of his arrival, expressing his joy and anticipation of finally being physically present with them.

鈥淒ear brothers and sisters in Iraq, peace be upon you!鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said. 鈥淚n a few days, I will finally be among you. I long to meet you, to see your faces and to visit your land, the ancient and extraordinary cradle of civilization.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� visit to the Middle Eastern nation comes as the realization of a dream of his predecessor, 杏MAP导航 St. John Paul II, who had planned to travel to Iraq at the end of 1999 but could not make the journey. The 杏MAP导航's four-day journey will include visits to several cities, as well as meetings with Christian communities and religious leaders.

Penitent pilgrim of peace and reconciliation

鈥淚 come as a pilgrim, as a penitent pilgrim to implore forgiveness and reconciliation from the Lord after years of war and terrorism, to ask God for the consolation of hearts and the healing of wounds,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said.

Recent decades marked by war, insecurity and persecution have dwindled the numbers of the once vibrant Christian communities in Iraq which numbered between 1 and 1.4 million in 2003 but presently, are an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people.

鈥淎nd I come among you as a pilgrim of peace, to repeat: 鈥榶ou are all brothers and sisters鈥�,鈥� continued the 杏MAP导航.

鈥淵es, I come as a pilgrim of peace in search of fraternity, animated by the desire to pray together and to walk together, also with brothers and sisters of other religious traditions, under the sign of our Father Abraham, who unites Muslims, Jews and Christians in one family.鈥�

Comfort to a church in trying moments

杏MAP导航 Francis, turning his thoughts to the many Christians who have borne witness to their faith in Jesus in the midst of difficult trials, expressed his gratitude to them and offered some fatherly words of comfort.

鈥淚 look forward to seeing you,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said. 鈥淚 am honored to meet a martyred Church. Thank you for your witness.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 went on to acknowledge 鈥渢he images of the destroyed houses and desecrated churches鈥� that many Iraqi Christian communities still bear in mind. He prayed that the many martyrs they have known may 鈥渉elp us to persevere in the humble strength of love鈥� and expressed to them 鈥渢he affectionate caress of the whole Church, which is close to them and to the martyred Middle East鈥� and encourages them to go forward.

鈥淟et us not allow the terrible suffering you have experienced, which grieves me so much, to prevail,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis urged. 鈥淟et us not give up in the face of the spread of evil.鈥�

Further encouraging Iraqis to refer to their ancient sources of wisdom, the 杏MAP导航 reminded them of the example of Abraham who, though he left everything, never lost hope and went on to give birth to descendants as numerous as the stars in heaven.

鈥淒ear brothers and sisters, let us look to the stars. There is our promise,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 enjoined all.

Hope in spite of suffering

The 杏MAP导航 continued to express his closeness and his message of hope to the many others who have suffered over the years but have not fallen. These, noted the 杏MAP导航, include Christians, Muslims and more particularly, the Yazidis who 鈥渉ave suffered so much.鈥�

鈥淚 come to your blessed and wounded land as a pilgrim of hope,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淔rom you, in Nineveh, resounded the prophecy of Jonah, who prevented destruction and brought a new hope, the hope of God.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis enjoined everyone to be infected by this hope, 鈥渨hich encourages us to rebuild and begin again鈥� and to help each other to strengthen our fraternity and to build together a future of peace, especially in these trying times of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic."

Concluding his message, the Holy Father reminded brothers and sisters of every religious tradition that it up to us to continue the journey that Abraham began thousands of years ago: to walk together, in the same spirit, along the paths of peace.

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his message invoking God鈥檚 blessings upon all and asking everyone to accompany him in prayer.

鈥淚 ask all of you to do the same as Abraham,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淲alk in hope and never stop looking at the stars.鈥�