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Pope Benedict XVI- Apostolic Journey to the Holy Land |
"What
Humane Political End Can Ever Be Served Through Conflict and
Violence?"
Address to Israeli President Shimon Peres
H.H. Benedict XVI
Presidential Residence in Jerusalem
May 11, 2009
Mr President,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As a kind gesture of hospitality President Peres has welcomed us
here to his residence, enabling me to greet you all and to have this
opportunity to share a few thoughts with you. Mr. President, I thank
you for this gracious welcome, and for your courteous greeting which
I warmly reciprocate. I also thank the musicians who have
entertained us with their fine performance.
Mr President, in the message of congratulations which I sent to you
on the occasion of your inauguration, I gladly recalled your
distinguished record of public service marked by a strong commitment
to the pursuit of justice and peace. This afternoon I wish to assure
you, together with Prime Minister Netanyahu and his newly formed
Government, and all the people of the State of Israel that my
pilgrimage to the holy places is one of prayer for the precious gift
of unity and peace for the Middle East and all of humanity. Indeed,
I pray daily for peace born of justice to return to the Holy Land
and the entire region, bringing security and renewed hope for all.
Peace is above all a divine gift. For peace is the Almighty's
promise to humanity, and harbors unity. In the book of the prophet
Jeremiah we read: "I know the plans I have in mind for you - it is
the Lord who speaks - plans for peace not disaster, to give you a
future and a hope" (Jer 29:11-12). The prophet reminds us of the
Almighty's promise that he can "be found", that he "will listen",
that he "will gather us together as one". But there is a proviso: we
must "seek him", and "seek him with all our heart" (cf.
ibid.,12-14).
To the religious leaders present this afternoon, I wish to say that
the particular contribution of religions to the quest for peace lies
primarily in the wholehearted, united search for God. Ours is the
task of proclaiming and witnessing that the Almighty is present and
knowable even when he seems hidden from our sight, that he acts in
our world for our good, and that a society's future is marked with
hope when it resonates in harmony with his divine order. It is God's
dynamic presence that draws hearts together and ensures unity. In
fact, the ultimate foundation of unity among persons lies in the
perfect oneness and universality of God, who created man and woman
in his image and likeness in order to draw us into his own divine
life so that all may be one.
Religious leaders must therefore be mindful that any division or
tension, any tendency to introversion or suspicion among believers
or between our communities, can easily lead to a contradiction which
obscures the Almighty's oneness, betrays our unity, and contradicts
the One who reveals himself as "abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness" (Ex 34:6; Ps 138:2; Ps 85:11). My friends: Jerusalem,
which has long been a crossroads for peoples of many different
origins, is a city which affords Jews, Christians and Muslims both
the duty and the privilege to bear witness together to the peaceful
coexistence long desired by worshippers of the one God; to lay bare
the Almighty's plan for the unity of the human family announced to
Abraham; and to proclaim the true nature of man as a seeker of God.
Let us resolve to ensure that through the teaching and guidance of
our respective communities we shall assist them to be true to who
they are as believers, ever aware of the infinite goodness of God,
the inviolable dignity of every human being, and the unity of the
entire human family.
Sacred Scripture also presents us with an understanding of security.
According to the Hebrew usage, security - batah - arises from trust
and refers not just to the absence of threat but also to the
sentiment of calmness and confidence. In the book of the prophet
Isaiah we read of a time of divine blessing: "Once more the Spirit
is poured upon us ... and justice will dwell in the wilderness and
integrity in the fertile land; integrity will bring peace, and
justice everlasting security" (Is 32:15-17). Security, integrity,
justice and peace. In God's design for the world, these are
inseparable. Far from being simply products of human endeavor, they
are values which stem from God's fundamental relationship with man,
and dwell as a common patrimony in the heart of every individual.
There is only one way to protect and promote these values: exercise
them! Live them! No individual, family, community or nation is
exempt from the duty to live in justice and to work for peace. And
naturally, civic and political leaders are expected to ensure just
and proper security for the people whom they have been elected to
serve. That objective forms a part of the rightful promotion of
values common to humanity and thus cannot conflict with the unity of
the human family. The authentic values and goals of a society, which
always safeguard human dignity, are indivisible, universal and
interdependent (cf.Address to the United Nations, 18 April 2008).
Thus they cannot be satisfied when they fall prey to particular
interests or piecemeal politics. A nation's true interest is always
served by the pursuit of justice for all.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, lasting security is a matter of
trust, nurtured in justice and integrity, and sealed through the
conversion of hearts which stirs us to look the other in the eye,
and to recognize the "Thou", as my equal, my brother, my sister. In
this way does not society itself become the "fruitful field" (Is
32:15) marked, not by blocks or obstructions, but by cohesion and
vibrancy? Can it not become a community with noble aspirations where
all are willingly afforded access to education, family housing and
the opportunity for employment, a society ready to build upon the
lasting foundations of hope?
To conclude, I would like to turn to the ordinary families of this
city, of this country. What parents would ever want violence,
insecurity, or disunity for their son or daughter? What humane
political end can ever be served through conflict and violence? I
hear the cry of those who live in this land for justice, for peace,
for respect for their dignity, for lasting security, a daily life
free from the fear of outside threats and senseless violence. And I
know that considerable numbers of men and women and young people are
working for peace and solidarity through cultural programs and
through initiatives of compassionate and practical outreach; humble
enough to forgive, they have the courage to grasp the dream that is
their right.
Mr President, I thank you for the courtesy you have shown to me and
I assure you again of my prayers for the Government and all the
citizens of this State. May a genuine conversion of the hearts of
all lead to an ever strengthening commitment to peace and security
through justice for everyone.
Shalom!
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