Blessings of peace, mercy, and the love of Christ to all of you, my brothers and sisters.
Today, as we gather under the gaze of our merciful Lord, we must confront the great wounds of our world—wounds that bleed with violence, division, and injustice. The Holy Scriptures remind us: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9). Yet, in Syria, in Israel, in the West Bank, and in so many corners of our broken world, peace is not merely absent—it is trampled underfoot by the boots of war, vengeance, and hatred.
We hear of airstrikes and accusations, of "treacherous aggression" and fragile security. We mourn the lives lost, the families shattered, the children who will never know the embrace of their parents again. And yet, in the midst of this darkness, we must ask ourselves: Where are the peacemakers? Where are those who will rise above the cycle of violence and say, "Enough!"?
The Druze people, our brothers and sisters in faith, are caught in this storm. Israel claims it acts to save them, while Syria condemns the strikes. Who speaks for the innocent? Who defends the voiceless? The world watches, debates, and moves on—but we, as followers of Christ, cannot turn away. We must be the ones who sow peace, for as Scripture tells us, "Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness" (James 3:18).
And what of the young Palestinian-American, beaten to death by those who have allowed hatred to consume their hearts? The cry for justice echoes across the earth: "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers" (Proverbs 21:15). Yet justice remains elusive, drowned out by political posturing and empty promises. How long will we tolerate a world where the powerful crush the weak and call it necessity? How long will we remain silent?
My dear brothers and sisters, I tell you this with urgency: We stand at a crossroads. One path leads to a world where love triumphs over hatred, where mercy disarms vengeance, where justice flows like a mighty river. This is the world Christ calls us to build—a world where nations lay down their weapons, where the oppressed are lifted up, where every life is sacred.
But there is another path—one of apathy, of indifference, of allowing evil to flourish because it is easier to look away. And if we choose this path, the consequences will be dire. Wars will multiply. Innocents will perish. The earth itself will groan under the weight of our sins. The fires of conflict will spread until no nation, no home, no soul is left untouched. This is not prophecy—it is the inevitable result of human cruelty unchecked by divine love.
And yet, even as I speak these grave warnings, I tell you with all the hope in my heart: We can change the course of history. The Church, though wounded by scandal and division, remains Christ’s light in the darkness. But we must act. We must pray without ceasing. We must demand justice for the oppressed. We must support those who work for peace, even when the world calls them fools.
And within our own Church, we face a crisis of trust—a failure to fully live the Gospel we preach. Let us not be hypocrites, decrying violence abroad while ignoring the suffering in our own communities. Let us be the hands and feet of Christ, healing, restoring, and fighting for what is right.
Imagine, my brothers and sisters, a world where the children of Syria play without fear. Imagine a Holy Land where Jew and Arab embrace as brothers. Imagine a Church that radiates holiness and mercy so brightly that the world cannot help but see Christ in us. This is not a dream—it is our calling.
Will you answer it? Will you be a peacemaker? Will you be a voice for the voiceless? The time for hesitation is over. The Kingdom of God is at hand—let us build it together.
Amen.
What can we do?
The conflicts in Syria, Israel, and beyond may feel distant, but each of us can take meaningful steps to foster peace, justice, and healing in our own spheres of influence. Here’s how:
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