By Marcelle Mansour
I attended the seminar of United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016, which was hosted by the Universal Peace Federation Australia (UPF) , during the Ambassadors for Peace bimonthly meeting at the Oceania embassy in Sydney, on Monday 1st February of this year, with its slogan of “Interfaith in Action: Working Together for the Common Goods”.
 As we know, the United Nations has designated the first week of February of every year to be the World Interfaith Harmony Week. It is worthwhile to mention here a bit of history - for the sake of knowledge – that the World Interfaith Harmony Week has been proposed between religions for the first time in the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2010 by His Majesty King Abdullah II, King Jordan. Then the United Nations decided unanimously on October 20, 2010 to be celebrated since then onwards in the first week of February, that is (1-7 Feb) to be known as “World Interfaith Harmony Week”. The aim is to simply initiate mutual understanding and effective dialogue between religions as a way to promote harmony among all people regardless of their religion.  It began harbingers in 2007, where Christians and Muslims leaders were called on to engage in the primary two common core religious commandments dialogue; the love of God and love of neighbor, for These commandments are the hub of the three large monotheistic religions without prejudice to any of their own religious principles. Thus providing a solid foundation for joint action on love and cooperation among people of goodwill and promote a message of interfaith harmony in churches and mosques around the world, and synagogues and other places of worship, on a voluntary basis in accordance with the religious traditions of their own cultures. This will hopefully encourage and help these groups to be aware of each other, and promote the movement of construction through mutual relations that far outweigh their differences, thus providing a strong dose of peace and harmony in their communities.
I would like to express the extent of my admiration to all the speakers who addressed the importance of  the topic that began with the UPF president Greg Stone’s words – with the UPF Introductory Video - where he said: "Our presence here as ambassadors for peace, we come from all over the world in order that we encourage one family of all religions under one God, to seek together towards goodness and unity and break down barriers, for all religions should work together to address the issue of conflict and achieve peace in the world.
Dr. Greg Johns, Vice Director of Soak Gukkai Internatioanl Australia and manager of their Peace, Culture and Education portfolio, delivered a significant speech explaining the vital role of the Buddhist religion in peacemaking, and responsibility entrusted to us towards each other and towards humanity as a whole, that go beyond the extremism towards our interests and work to help others, particularly that depression issue is a big problem in this country and other countries. Buddhism has long been celebrated as a religion of peace and non-violence always aspiring for the need of achieving higher humanism in respecting individuals and people through the symphony of heart to heart dialogue that share the suffering of others through connecting together and bringing friendship respect. This followed by the speech of guest speaker Ms Anne Lanyon, from the Columban Mission Institute Centre for Peace, Ecology and Justice and the Faith Ecology Network, where she spoke about the urgent goals in regards to the religious traditions of mutual engagement of the environment, its defense and protection.
Ms Aila Wilitts, MC made the welcoming remarks with her calming presentation and the event was closed with peaceful musical presentation.
I attended the bimonthly meeting as usual, and liked the subject and its content. I was also surprised with the attendance of the high number of audience including the Ambassadors of Peace who have come from various backgrounds except of the Arabic ones.  The fact of the matter is that we, the Australian Middle Eastern are the ones who really with the most in need of this kind of knowledge for many reasons. For I believe that our presence is beneficial to encourage and promote this kind of topics and functions.
Undoubtedly, mutual understanding and dialogue among all religions and beliefs constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace as a way to promote harmony and cooperation among all people irrespective of races and religions, especially we live in the midst of political and religious crises, intolerance, terrorism, social, humanitarian troubled and other problems in this puzzling era. It is important to participate in the multiple aspects of the broader discussion, for the convergence in the exchange of views, and dissolving dissonance in different views, may help to promote the method of approach to understanding and respect between religions and generations, and to accept the ‘other’.  This will work on healing the wounds of violence, and also healing the rift between religious and sectarian groups. It will certainly work to challenge the risk of cultural conflicts, to change our lives for the better, and to build peace in the world.

(Early 19th century France, Paris.)
Louis walked the busy streets of Paris restlessly searching for a chance of employment. His mind was made up to not return home to his wife without the wonderful news of employment. He was undoubtedly in a big predicament. His savings were almost out, being unemployed for nearly sixty days. The last couple of days were the toughest, both of them feeding on nothing but bread and water. The load was getting heavier as the news of child expectancy in these situations was not so pleasing as once anticipated. But nevertheless, instead of lamenting his worsening luck, he had to find solutions.
The icy Parisian December currents howled in the alleys of the bustling streets. The merciless cold brushed against his naked hands and face. He ached form its’ bitterness. He closed his cloak more tightly and folded his arms placing his hands under his armpits to warm them. His thirty five year old body was screaming for some warmth. Nevertheless, he knew that if he kept on walking, he will keep at least a bit warm.
The much welcomed sign read “Cleaning attendant wanted for inn.” Louis’s heart leaped with joy. His young eyes widened with hope as he entered the spacious inn and asked for the supervisor. A middle aged lady with an elegant dress greeted Louis with a mean smile. She eyed his old warn out cloak and coldly said, “Sorry, the position has just been filled. Leave please.”
Louis replied pleading, “please ma’am, I need this job or my wife and I will starve to death. I barely can cover one more meal for myself.
The lady briskly moved to the door and shouted, “Leave before I call my employees and throw you out!”
Louis walked out of the inn quickly before further trouble began. He watched as the lady began to spray some sort of perfume near the door. Beautiful lady yet cold hearted is what came to his mind as he paced the path in front of him searching for another opportunity.
Thirteen shops had denied him employment by nighttime. Louis lost all hope of a nearby breakthrough for his troubles. He sat down on the ground near a café deeply pondering what to do. His body was tired and exhausted from the trek he was taking and from the severe cold. His stomach jumped with the grinding feeling of hunger as the beautiful aromas of cakes and wines spread around him from the café. He took out half a loaf of bread from inside his cloak that he was saving for dinner only to find it frozen from the cold. He threw it away and cringed as his stomach jumped again from hunger. He stood up and took a look inside. The café was swarming with female waiters and customers.
There were no attendants guarding the door. His attention focused on some bread that carelessly lay beside a warm pot of soup on a table at the entrance. Such a rich meal would be enough for the night for him and his wife. He slowly opened the door and crouched to avoid being seen. He calmly approached the table and looked around, happy to realize that his presence was still unnoticed. The majority of the busy tables were deep inside the café, concealing his presence to some extent. Content, he reached out to grab some bread only to feel a strong blow on the back of his head. He fell down on the ground. There was movement and noise about him. Many faces gathered around as his vision began to blur. Darkness and silence prevailed afterwards.
***********************
Antoinette knew that she had seen better days in her life. A gorgeous tall blond woman with green eyes and waist long hair, and regarded as one of the most attractive amongst her kin, she had many suitors before she was introduced to Louis. But what could be done when love walks up to your doorstep and knocks on the door. She knew he wasn’t well paid and life wouldn’t be easy but against the strong feelings he moved in her heart, she soon surrendered to her share in life. Her parents scolded her for what they regarded as a poor choice. But they couldn’t do anything as her mind was made up for Louis.
Her Louis was a very polite loving husband, generous towards her needs, passionate, and caring. She knew deep inside that he compensated his financial inability with good treatment and love. She never dared make him feel that he was lacking in his duties in any way. She repaid him with patience and devotion. Problems rarely surfaced in their relationship. The both enjoyed complete understanding of one another and this helped greatly in limiting any arguments that would encounter them from time to time.
Antoinette eyed the loaf of bread and cheese in front of her. She had no idea as to what would be available for food tomorrow as the rations in front of her were the last in the house. She had a certain urge to wait for her husband and share it with him but her weak body craved for food. Nevertheless she knew that if she didn’t have the will to sacrifice she wouldn’t be a good wife for her husband. “For better or worse, in sickness and health” came to her mind. She pledged this at her marriage in the church to her husband.
Her parent’s house would help with food and money. She knew that they still loved her no matter what had happened in the past. Her father most assuredly would have a heart to grant them whatever they needed. Many a times she thought about going to them for help but would stop and change her mind at the last minute. She feared their faces and eyes that would have “I warned you,” written all over them. No matter how painful the situation is she made up her mind. She stood up, put out the fire in the cooking place, grabbed her cloak and wrapped her head well with her scarf to shield out the icy cold winds. She locked the cottage and began her short trip to her father’s place.
The village seemed lifeless with nothing but the loud howling of the winds mixed with the shuffling of dried up leaves on the grounds. Although on the outskirts of Paris their town went dead in the winter at night. Audible laughter from time to time surfaced from candle lit houses and cottages dispersed along the roadsides. A few carriages moved in the distances trafficking through the barren streets, probably moving families of the wealthy to their social calls. Her mind drifted to the whereabouts of her husband Louis. “I hope he is fine and in good health. I wonder how he is right now.”
She hadn’t traveled a long distance away when nearby knocking stopped her. She looked back and saw a person at the doorstop of her cottage. She quickly ran back to find her younger sister with a message for her.
************************
Louis looked out of his prison cell window in the local guard station as the first rays of dawn seeped through. He hadn’t slept all night and remained awakened struck by restlessness. The shocking words of the sentencing kept echoing in his ears. The death heralding frown on the judge’s face as he was condemning him for the charge of theft was deeply imprinted in his mind, “Louis Edward, you are hereby sentenced to forty lashes of the whip, which will be executed as the morning church bell of St. George’s Cathedral sounds tomorrow. You are also sentenced to one year imprisonment in the Bastille prison; this sentence given on charge of theft that this court here finds you guilty of.” He kept telling the judge over and over again that he wasn’t a criminal but stole to feed his famished self, but the judge ignored his words. It was as if he spoke a different language. The court was totally unjust to his cause and case. Had he been a character of importance he knew he wouldn’t be charged or trialed at all no matter what he did. Only the poor and helpless were stepped upon in this unfair and cold society.
He had never been imprisoned nor lashed before. He had seen public executions of this punishment on criminals and had seen them anguish and beg for mercy as the whips worked them brutally. Tear drops fell from his eyes as he begged the Lord for a miracle to happen. It was just not fair. As the sun’s rays grew in strength a choking feeling crept upon his soul. His heart began pounding in his chest. His body shook with fear and anticipation. He stood up and ran to the prison bars. He screamed and shouted, “I’m innocent by God’s law and judgment. You have no right to try a famished man for wanting to eat. Let me out!” Louis beat the bars and screamed repeatedly but only to find two bulky guards running towards him. As they approached the prison they opened the door and punched him down to the ground. Louis twisted and screamed from the pain as he surrendered to the beating. In due time they left him alone sobbing and crying his frustration and misery away.
**************************
Antoinette looked up at the high staircase of the bell tower of St. George’s Cathedral. Sixty steps lead to the heavy church bell that was about to sound and awake everybody up for morning prayers. She eyed the bell well and its’ size. It was approximately an average man’s height and took two monks to swing it into action. She was determined to do it at any cost. Nobody will take her beloved husband away. The frustration and pain caused by the injustice were tearing her apart.
    She began her long trip, ascending the stairs as quickly as her legs can carry her. She had to reach the top before the monks rang the bell. She had one chance to make this plan work. There were wooden boards directly underneath the bell. They would help her.
    As soon as she reached the top service area, which was directly underneath the heavy bell, the monks of the church began chanting. She knew it would be only a very short while before the bell rang. She jumped as hard as she could and grabbed the huge ball of the bell with both her hands. Two monks made haste and moved towards the bells’ long rope. Antoinette watched the bell as it moved powerfully tilting her with it. She swung hard with it and her right hand pounded on the inner side of the bell. She gave a tormenting cry as she felt her hand smash and fell down on the wooden boards underneath. Both monks on the church entrance gave each other a puzzled look at the scream that came out instead of the echo of metal. The monks hurried up to the top of the tower only to find Antoinette thrashing about and crying on the ground.
******************
Louis marched slowly with the four guards that fetched him from his prison. Waves of terror and fear were thundering through him as he was nearing his hour of punishment. His mind and soul that were clouded with fright kept him from noticing that the church bell struck very late to its’ usual timing. He was in total prayer that the Lord would be with him during this hour of pain.
His awareness suddenly came to life as he walked into a totally bright environment. Everything radiated about him with elegance. His heart skipped a beat as the truth soared through his mind. He was in the royal court. Louis felt his knees weaken with fear. He stood iced up in his place unable to move a muscle. He felt he was in a dream. Swarms of people that surrounded the royal throne were staring at him as he stood stunned in his place. The presence of his wife worshipping in front of King Henry puzzled him more.
He heard a deep royal voice command, “Approach the royal throne Louis.”
Louis managed small feeble steps towards the king who was seated on magnificent sparkling gold. As soon as he arrived beside his wife he knelt down in respect and submission.
The King announced, “Louis your wife sacrificed her life to set you free of your punishment. She used her hands as a shield to stop the morning bells form sounding so you wouldn’t be punished for your crime. I have never encountered a greater love in my entire life as a king or human being. Your wife’s love and sacrifice pleaded for you. You shall be graciously rewarded and you are free to go with our blessings.”
Louis looked up at the king who was smiling on them. He looked back at his wife’s injured hands which were wrapped in cloth. He kissed them slowly and passionately. A feeling of comfort engulfed him as he foresaw the bright future ahead.
The End

By Safwat Riad
    These are photos of Annual Party of the Australian Upper Egypt Community on Saturday 9 January 2016.
    With thanks to the organizers specially Brig. who awarded our dear friend Dr. Yehia Saleh for his outstanding professional contributions to the Egyptian Community.
    Also  Dr. Naguib Boulos was awarded beside the excellent students graduates and their families, in the presence of the Egyptian Consulate H.E.Ambassador  Mr Youssef Shawki,his wife Mrs. Dalia Saad and Honorable Mr. David Clarke M.P.
    Once again thanks Brig Gadalla( Abou Rami )and Mrs. Nadra Gadalla(Om Rami), the Lord bless you with your successful organisation.

Posted by: Jonathan D. Halevi
Shaykh Said Rageah (الشيخ سعيد راجح) was born in Somalia and in the late 80sn moved to North America. Rageah has a Bachelor’s in Islamic studies and a Masters in Shari’ah and he has had several posts over the years, including: founder of Masjid Huda in Montreal and Masjid Aya in Maryland, advisor for Muslim Youth magazine, and member in the Aqsa Association.
He is also the founder of both Muslim Magazine and Al Aqsa Association, and served as the Chaplain at both the University of Calgary and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). He served as an Imam at the Abu Hurairah Mosque in Toronto, the Chairman for the Journey of Faith Conference and as an instructor for the AlMaghrib Institute.
In a sermon delivered at Abu Hurairah Centre in Toronto (the video was uploaded to YouTube on February 8, 2009), Imam Rageah called on Canadian Muslims to unite and translate their demography into a political and economic power that is necessary to make the government allow Muslims to implement the Islamic Law (Sharia) in their communities and to change the foreign policy.
Rageah spoke in favour of following the example of the Sikh neighbourhood in Edmonton, Alberta, by bringing the Muslim community to live together in one area in which the authorities will not be able to make any decision without the approval of the Muslims.
He urges Muslims to hire only Muslim workers, to buy products or services only from Muslim-owned businesses and to avoid advertising with media outlets owned by kafir, meaning unbeliever or infidel. In this way, he maintained, Canadian Muslims can strengthen themselves and live according to Islam.
The following is a transcript of segments from Rageah’s sermon:
“With four, five [hundred] thousand Muslims you can create the most powerful lobby in Canada… with that number of Muslims you can create one of the strongest Muslim business in Toronto…
“If you just put our resources, if we put our resources together, if we can work together as an Ummah [Muslim nation] we can change a lot…
“As Muslims, we are scattered all over the city. You have people living in Brampton, you have people living in Mississauga, you have people living in Whitby, you have people living in Richmond Hill. Imagine if we all get together in one area.
“In the City of Edmonton, the Sikh, Sikh, they live in one neighbourhood and nothing can be changed or done without their approval. We here we may as well benefit from the system that they have here.
“What can you do with unity? A lot. You can change a lot. You can change the foreign policy of this country. You can change how the Muslims think. You can even when need help, when you need help you call Muslim for your need you will help the Muslim community…
“Brothers in the masjid [Mosque] right now, they are coming up with the magazine or newspaper called Ummah Times. What Ummah Times is that? Ummah Times is advertising all your businesses all the Muslim businesses [are] Ummah.
“All you need to do – I will never advertise with a kafir [unbeliever, infidel], there you go.
“I hear some advertisements giving to 680 News $5,000. Before your Muslim brothers $50 and $80 or $100 we think twice before we do it.
“Unless we work together, the day we need a truck driver we know where to find truck drivers.
“The day that I need a cab I should have a number of a Muslim cab it’s ok, pick me up.
“When I wan to see a doctor, only Muslim doctor.
“When I want to hire someone only Muslim worker.
“Then we can strengthen ourselves. This is the way and this is the only way we can exist in the society, living according to Islam.
“When the Sharia [Islamic Law], when the government of Toronto, Ontario gave us a break and said: deal your internal affairs based on your Sharia [Islamic Law] we did not go and say: Those few people are Ismailis and Ahmadis, they are not even Muslims. Why would they speak on behalf of Muslims. But, we say no, we keep quiet and see and watch what happens, and then the result was that they said… we will never allow you to rule yourselves, your internal affairs based on the Shariah…
“My brothers in faith [اخوتي في الله], anything that happens in your Muslim community, in the City of Toronto, anything that can be done, five hundred thousand Muslims that is a great number, large number, you can do a lot, work together. Let’s be an Ummah [nation]…
“Take your children to Islamic schools.
“Take your vehicle to Muslim owned business.
“If you buy a vehicle make sure there is a Muslim business or car dealer that sells cars.
“If you want to do anything just ask if that individual is a Muslim or not. If he is not, then look for a Muslim, because I’m sure you’ll find a Muslim. I’m sure you’ll find a Muslim in that field…
“O Allah, Raise the standing of Islam and the Muslims [اللهم اعز الاسلام والمسلمين], and humiliate the infidels and the polytheists.” [اذل الكفرة والمشركين]
Rageah visiting Sweden: refugees should spread Islam in hosting country
In his recent visit to Sweden, Rageah met with Muslim youths apparently sons and daughters of refugees from the Middle East who resettled with their families in a small Swedish village.
Rageah explained to the Muslim youths the obligation upon them to follow the teachings of Islam and also the importance of playing a leading role in introducing Islam to the local society in order to spread Islam in their new community.
The following are excerpts of Rageah’s speech (posted on YouTube on December 8, 2015):
“Why do you think Allah brought you here? Why do you think Allah brought your parents and they brought you here?
“Do you think because there was a civil war back home and they had nowhere else to go, and now all of the sudden they came to Sweden to this small village that I cannot even pronounce its name? Do you think they came here accidentally?
“No. It was designed by Almighty Allah. It was designed that you perhaps can be born and raised here, so you can carry the message of Islam to your own community, to the Swedish community, because maybe your father when he is speaking Swedish he has an accent, maybe your mother when she is speaking she has an accent. Maybe they don’t understand the culture of the people.
“Perhaps Allah brought you here so you can adapt, understand, analyze, read and learn the culture of the people and then in return you come back and give them the light of Islam…
“Unfortunately a lot of young ladies and a lot of young boys, or young men, they think they were brought here so they can have fun, they can listen to music, they can shovel the snow that their father never have seen before, they can make a snow man in front of their houses, they can slide down the hill. This is not thereason.
“The reason that Allah brought you here is so you can can carry the message of Islam to the people. Why? Because each one of us, Almighty Allah [said] call to the way of your Lord (ادعوا الى سبيل ربك ). So your responsibility is to call people to Allah.”
Rageah: Stephen Harper is an “enemy of Islam”
Rageah, an Imam at the Abu Hurairah Mosque in Toronto and an instructor for the AlMaghrib Institute, sees Prime Minister Harper as an enemy of Islam. The following is an excerpt (25:20-26:59) of his speech at Assalam Mosque in Ottawa in 2012 (the video was uploaded to YouTube on September 12, 2012):
“If one of us was invited by the Prime Minister of this country [Stephen Harper] and he says: ‘I’ll give you a special invitation, exclusive invitation, come to my house, have dinner with me, chat with me, sit with me, talk to me, I’ll talk to you.’ I guarantee you, everyone of you will come out of that meeting raising his head with pride, so proud of himself, so pleased, you know, twitting every second: O I’m sitting with the Prime Minister [Stephen Harper], you know, you know, putting on Facebook: This is my picture with the Prime Minister [Stephen Harper], you know, and you’ll brag on that day and night. Every single moment when someone says: Peace be upon you, (السلام عليكم), O do you know I was just chatting with the Prime Minister [Stephen Harper]. When Someone says: ‘How are the children?’ ‘His house is excellent.’ Your life will be nothing but him, and he [Stephen Harper] is the enemy of Islam. He [Stephen Harper] is an enemy of Islam. I guarantee you, we go to him right now, and he is the man who said, you know, the threat of this country is Islamism. All of us would say: ‘Mister Prime Minister, can we take a picture with you?’ We are so proud of that, because it is the human nature, but Allah is telling you: ‘Stay with me every night.’ Seclusion (خلوة) with Allah we don’t care. We don’t care. The voluntary prayer during the night (قيام الليل) is a conversation (نجوة) between you and Allah, no one else.”
Rageah did not elaborate in his speech what is the Islamic ruling regarding an “enemy of Islam.” In previous speech (February 2012) at the University of Waterloo as part of the Islamic Awareness Weekorganized by the local Muslim Students Association (MSA) and partially funded by the university, Rageahimplicitly justified the death penalty for apostates and those who insult the prophets.
Imam Ahmed Qandeel, member of the supreme council of Quebec imams, explained in the weekly Friday (May 12, 2013) sermon at Alrawdah Mosque in Montreal, the Islamic ruling regarding Muslims who became enemies of Islam. The following is an excerpt of his sermon (originally in Arabic):
“The second case deals with a person who fights against Allah and His messenger and joined a vile group. His verdict will not be a regular execution. His verdict will be identical to the punishment for banditry. ‘Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides.’ [Quran 5:33]. This is the difference between them. The first will be asked to repent and the second will be killed immediately without repentance or asking him to repent…”

The Maronite Eparchy of Australia refers to certain articles in the media which inaccurately state that Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay attended the wedding ceremony of Mr George Bitar-Ghanem, Consul General of Lebanon, to Ms Bahia Abou Hamad. In the interest of journalistic accuracy, we wish to clarify that Bishop Tarabay did not attend and did not bless the wedding ceremony but congratulated the couple as a social duty, in preparation for their sacramental Church wedding.
Kindly note the clarification.
With thanks for your constant support,
Kind Regards,
Office of the Maronite Bishop
Maronite Catholic Diocese of Australia
40 Alice St
HARRIS PARK  NSW  2150
AUSTRALIA 

To Charbel and Akram and all my friends at Al-Ghorba, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe 2016. 

I hope that peace will return to Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, and the people of the Middle East.

Like all people around the world they deserve to live in peace and happiness and It's time they enjoyed that right to live.

Shaoquett and family

At Christmas, God’s Mercy is Incarnated

1. This year, the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ occurs in the course of the "Jubilee Year of Mercy" declared by Pope Francis. This commences on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the eighth of December, and ends in 2016 on the Feast of Christ the King, the twentieth of November.

2. The mercy of God was first revealed in His creation of man: "in the image of himself … male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27).  This mercy has accompanied man despite his sinning and going astray. It was evident in various stages of the history of the people of God in the Old Testament, but manifested itself in a unique way in the New Testament, when God revealed himself to us through his incarnate Son. This mercy, which appeared in history as an oasis of repentance and reconciliation, in fact transcends all time and space. It endures forever. As the Psalmist says: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136:1).

3. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of mercy itself into our world as a perfect expression of God's love for humanity. The most beautiful thing we can contemplate at Christmas is the incarnation of God’s mercy. This not only reveals to us the greatness of his boundless love and pity for those who sin and have gone astray, but also that the mercy which flows from the heart of God has now, through the Divine Incarnation, entered the human heart, making us more merciful to our brothers and sisters.

4. Today's world is suffering tremendously from violence and hatred. This is often joined to a hardness of heart and hostility that leads to torture and murder justified on religious or ideological grounds. More than ever, there is an urgent need now to experience that mercy of God which leads man to practice compassion and sympathy when dealing with others. From merciful God to merciful humanity, we journey in contemplation in the words of our Lord Jesus: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

5. Our celebration of the incarnation of mercy at Christmas must not be limited to words and theories that hold us prisoners of the letter and the law. We are called, in this Year of Mercy, to courageously and confidently leave our comfort zones, and to practice compassion and forgiveness in response to Our Lord’s call to us to repent. Jesus met with sinners and evil-doers, and changed their lives and their hearts, not through the force of law or the threat of justice, but by mercy and love, proclaiming: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

6. One of the main characteristics of God’s mercy, revealing his omnipotence, is that it knows no bounds. The Lord Jesus explained this in the parable of the Good Samaritan where a man fell victim to thieves, who left him beaten and half dead along the side of the road. The Good Samaritan, overcoming the ancient animosity between Jews and Samaritans, and transcending religious and ethnic barriers, treated the man with mercy. This reveals to us how God's mercy knows no bounds. As such, the mercy of each of us towards our brothers and sisters must overcome every barrier and border, and necessarily be put into practice, not remaining a fleeting emotion.

7. On this occasion, I invite you, dear sons and daughters of our Eparchy, to work together and extend a helping hand to the deprived and vulnerable, especially to the refugees in Lebanon and the Middle East. Let us also bear in mind the poor and the marginalised in many parts of the world, where they have been pushed to the outskirts of big cities, where they live in extreme poverty and suffer deprivation and injustice.

8. Every work of mercy which we perform for one of our brethren, we do also for the person of Jesus himself, who is concealed behind the hungry and the thirsty, the sick and the stranger, the marginalised and the prisoner, whether we know this or not.

9. Dearly beloved,

This Year of Mercy is a voice calling our political leaders in the wilderness of today's world, to truthfully and honestly work for peace and bring to an end the wars throughout the world, especially in Syria and Iraq. It is also a call to all those who, to achieve their hidden agendas, employ the name of religion to justify killing and hatred, to listen to the voice of their humanity and their consciences, and to realise that every person is precious, and that life is a gift from God. This should lead them to respect it, and cease their deadly schemes and operations which each and every day claim the lives of innocent souls. 

10. The Door of Mercy is Jesus Christ himself. He has opened this door for us through the Church and the Sacraments, especially through the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation. In this Holy Jubilee Year, we have dedicated Doors of Mercy in three churches of our Eparchy.  These are: St Maroun’s Cathedral in Redfern, Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral in Harris Park, and Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Melbourne. The passage of believers through the Door of Mercy has the symbolic and mystical meaning that we pass with the Lord Jesus from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom, and from sin to grace. May our celebration of Christmas this year truly be an occasion to renew the birth of mercy in our hearts, in our communities, and in our world.

Christ is Born! Alleluia!

Sydney, 24 December 2015. 

+ Antoine-Charbel Tarabay 

Maronite Bishop of Australia