In Defense of Christians - Part 1

Today was the opening of the first of its kind In Defense of Christians Conference, which brings together Christians of all denominations coming together to pray, to organize, and to help Christians suffering persecution in displacement in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Africa.  Here are highlights from this evening:

His Excellency Bishop Gregory Mansour - Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron, Brooklyn, NY - Homily During the Ecumenical Prayer Service:

When you read the Beatitudes - even if you are angry when reading them - how can you remain angry?

The present situation presents us with three options:
1.  Pray and do nothing else.
2.  Declare war and fight back.
3.  Non-violent resistance - not afraid in our resistance, bold in mercy and love.  This is the way of Jesus.  It is the harder way, but it is the only way - to build solidarity and coalitions with everyone. 

That is what we can do here and now.  We raise our voices; we take individual action in solidarity with all.  We call evil as evil.  We live in the unity of the Holy Spirit. 

The third way is the most difficult, but let us live it and live it well. For they will know we are Christians by this love.

The prayer service was derived from prayers of the 3rd and 4th centuries from different languages.  The exact prayer service was last done in 1987 when Pope John Paul declared the Marian Year.

John Ashcroft - Keynote Address:

We don't have to be uniform to have unity.  We are here to bring the Good News to Washington, D.C. 

Liberty is sourced in God.  God respects liberty to such an extent that he allows us to choose against Him.  Religion is a choice made in freedom, not one imposed on us by others.  God did not impose Himself on others.  It is against my religion to impose my religion on others.

We are unified in our belief in the idea that the world of the Spirit calls us to our highest and best in freedom through inspiration, not by mandate and imposition.  Democracy is not the core value.  Liberty is the core value.  Democracy can be a hindrance to liberty and it can impose on others. 

We defend the liberty of Christians and all others to pray to God as they see fit.

Leonardo Cardinal Santri - Keynote Address:

A letter of support from Pope Francis was read.  In the letter the pope reminds us that the rights of all must be upheld, and the respect for everyone's life and dignity must be assured.  The pope encourages us to pray and work for this intention.

Christians of the Middle East beg the community of nations for intervention and protection.  Christians of Africa also raise their voices pleading for intervention and protection as well.

The atrocities and refugee displacement, the destruction of holy sites and religious property, the loss of cultural heritage and loss of freedom today represents a humanitarian crisis the proportion of which the world has not seen since World War II.

The indoctrination of children is also to be condemned.  The world community must condemn and put an end to the barbarism of ISIS. 

The sexual slavery of young teenage girls who are forced into marriages as objects and property must also cease. 

Cultural coexistence must replace the clash of civilizations. 

War is the enemy to fight.  The trade of arms, the control of oil and other resources is also evil.  The culture of waste is also to blame. 

We must regard the other person as a human being.  Every country and group must recognize the individual person as such. 

The U.N. must be the venue to resolve these issues in harmony and protect the rights of all.

Voices within Islam are rising up to condemn the extremism of fundamentalism and the violence of ISIS.  Muslim groups have organized relief and assistance to refugees, working in partnership with Caritas International.

Vatican II and Nostra Aetate is fundamental to our work.  The scandal of Christian division must be overcome in order to show the world how to live together in the love of Christ.  We have made progress with various agreements among the churches and ecclesial communities.  Coming together to pray with one another frequently is important.  But we must do more.

Diversity does not diminish unity, but rather enhances it.  The hope for peace and justice can only come about in our obedience to the law of God, which is the law of love for others (Benedict XVI).

Just as Jonah was sent to Nineveh to soften the hearts of the people of his day, so may we go forth to proclaim this message to soften the hearts of people in our day.  We must never tire and stop in the building the civilization of love in defense of Christians, in defense of Jews, in defense of Muslims, in defense of all humanity.