(Terra Santa News) ‘The mercy of God is limitless’, Pope Francis wrote in the papal bull of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year, currently underway. In the wake of this statement, the Salesian Pontifical University of Jerusalem held, Thursday, March 10, a conference on the topic.
A rabbi, a Muslim judge, a Catholic priest and, as a moderator, Mons. Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem shared the microphone and the spirit of the meeting.
H.E. Mons. WILLIAM SHOMALI
Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
“It is important that, while there is so much violence in Jerusalem, with stabbings and shootings between Palestinians and Israelis, a different voice can be heard: a voice that speaks of mercy in the three different traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.”
The speakers addressed the issue from their own religious affiliation, investigating the relationship with justice and inquiring on the origin and consequences in real life, of the community and the individual.
Khadi Iyad Zahalka
Judge, Islam
“Mercy is the founding ideal of Islam.
Muslims should not attack others. The ones who lost the main idea of Islam are pulling themselves out of the Muslim community, the Muslim faith and the Islamic values”.
RABBI DAVID ROSEN
International Director of Interreligious Affairs, AJC
“We sin almost from the beginning, because we have the ability to make choices, so we are allowed to make mistakes, but since our essence is good and divine, it allows us to return to God. We must therefore be able to identify what we did wrong, being sincerely repentant, then, according to Judaism, we can immediately “lashur”, i.e. return to God, without the need for any external act of atonement.”
Rev. Dr Francesco Giosué Voltaggio
Rector of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary – Galilee
“This is just the novelty for us in Jesus Christ:
Jesus Christ descends into hell. Not only in a theological sense, but in our underworld. Down to the lowest point of ourselves, down to our miseries.
If you feel loved, then you can love. One cannot give what he has not received. This is why you need to receive. This is why we Christians receive the grace, the Holy Spirit, the church, the sacraments, the divine nature, this regeneration in this love and this mercy: to be able to donate mercy.”
After each participation, the present religious, lay people and students, flocked in the University Hall, where they had the opportunity to ask questions and talk with the speakers. Then the discussion continued in depth in small groups.
Rev. Dr Francesco Giosué Voltaggio
Rector of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary – Galilee
“It is necessary for us to return to this dialogue and to understand what mercy is and how we limit our own mercy and consequently become suspicious of each other, fueling fundamentalism.”
RABBI DAVID ROSEN
International Director of Interreligious Affairs, AJC
“Our meetings are important to us, so in our communities, we learn that there is another way. These gatherings are a testimony of how we should relate to each other and what we need to do to be able to build relationships of respect and love among Christians, Muslims and Jews.”
H.E. Mons. WILLIAM SHOMALI
Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
“If there is a unified view on the issue of mercy that is shared by the three religions, this voice can rise above the other discordant voices and make a difference in the lives of the local population.”