By Martin Hoegger
One of many highlights of the Collectively for Europe assembly in Timişoara (Romania, 16-19 November 2023) was a workshop on peace. It gave the ground to witnesses from nations at warfare, resembling Ukraine and the Holy Land. All of them have family and friends in these areas.
Understanding folks personally from areas in battle modifications our notion. Do you have got buddies or kin in these areas? If that’s the case, we are able to not speak about these conflicts in theoretical phrases as a result of individuals are concerned. One other query: are you concerned in a mutual help venture in battle zones? Nicole Grochowina, from the Protestant neighborhood of Selbitz in Germany, requested contributors to reply these questions at first of the workshop.
Educating for peace and dialogue
Donatella, an Italian dwelling in Ukraine who spent 24 years in Russia in a Focolare neighborhood, says: “This warfare is an open wound. There’s quite a lot of struggling throughout me. The one reply I can discover is to take a look at Jesus crucified. His cry offers me that means; his ache is a passage. Then I understood that love is stronger than ache. That helps me to not withdraw into myself. So usually, we really feel powerless. All we are able to do is pay attention and provide slightly hope and a smile. We have to create house inside ourselves to pay attention deeply and convey the ache into our personal hearts in order that we are able to pray”.
One other participant on this spherical desk was born in Moscow and lived there for 30 years. Her mom is Russian and her father Ukrainian. She has buddies in each Russia and Ukraine. No person believed that such a warfare can be potential and that Kyiv can be bombed! She has made herself accessible to soak up refugees. Nevertheless, she shouldn’t be snug with the rhetoric of those that reject all Russians. She suffers as a result of she is torn between the 2 events.
Margaret Karram, the president of the Focolare motion – an Israeli of Palestinian origin – says three very topical phrases for her: “fraternity, peace and unity”. The time has come to spotlight our duties as a result of it’s not sufficient to speak a few simply peace, we should educate folks for peace and dialogue.
Born in Haifa, the place Jews and Palestinians dwell collectively, she studied in a Catholic atmosphere with a Muslim presence. In Haifa, her neighbours had been Jewish. Her religion enabled her to beat discrimination.
Then she lived in Jerusalem, in a metropolis the place many divisions separate folks. She was shocked by this and labored to carry them collectively. Later, she studied Judaism within the USA. Again residence, she grew to become concerned in a number of interfaith initiatives, notably for kids. She found that a lot is frequent to all three religions.
Philip McDonagh, Director of the European Union’s Centre for Religions and Values, factors out that Article 17 of the EU Constitution requires dialogue to be stepped up. Concerning territorial claims, he’s satisfied that point is extra necessary than house, and that the entire is bigger than the sum of its components.
The diplomacy of “theological virtues”
Sylvester Gaberscek is a former Secretary of State in Slovenia’s Ministry of Tradition. A bridge builder between very totally different events, he had relations with politicians from all sides. He found that it’s potential to work collectively for the frequent good regardless of hatred. He practised what he calls “a diplomacy of religion, hope and love”.
Referred to as to Kosovo and Serbia to offer coaching in dialogue, he found that “the one factor I needed to do was pay attention and perceive everybody. “Individuals had been reworked by it”.
Édouard Heger, former President and Prime Minister of Slovakia, wonders how one can get out of 1 warfare and forestall the following. That’s the central query. He believes that on the root of each warfare, there may be all the time a scarcity of affection and reconciliation.
The vocation of Christians is to be folks of reconciliation. They need to advise political leaders with a view to reconciliation. However reconciliation additionally is dependent upon us, being brave and talking out with love. Individuals need this message.
Bishop Christian Krause, former President of the Lutheran World Federation, notes {that a} pal can shortly flip into an enemy. Solely love for Jesus can overcome this ache. Certainly, his beatitudes are a beacon of sunshine. The 2 politicians above had the braveness to comply with Jesus by dwelling them.
In East Germany, earlier than the autumn of the Wall, the Church was a spot of freedom. A miracle from God occurred. Sure, it’s value hoping in God and making it public. The doorways of the Church buildings should stay open in these instances of transformation. And for Christians to be artisans of reconciliation.
“We’re a minority, however a inventive one”, he says. With out a pact of mutual love, we can’t ensure that Jesus is in our midst. But when he’s, he’s the one who builds the home. And the miracle of reconciliation might be completed… in Europe and all through the world!
Photograph: From left to proper, Edouard Heger, Margaret Karram, Sylvester Gaberscek and S. Nicole Grochowina