Be A Good Samaritan, Not A Passerby
Top Searches:
Be A Good Samaritan, Not A Passerby Editorial by Francis Gonsalves
Add to Spiritual Diary
‘Good Samaritan’ is a term that has come to stay. It originates in one of Jesus’ parables that shocked people in his day. Pope Francis has popularised the parable in his encyclical ‘Fratelli Tutti’, meaning, ‘all brothers/sisters’, subtitled: ‘on fraternity and social friendship’.
Many are familiar with the Good Samaritan parable of a wayfarer waylaid, beaten and robbed by bandits. Left halfdead beside the highway, he is ignored by passersby and finally helped by a Samaritan-stranger. Simple as the story sounds at surface level, its meaning is radical if one delves deeper into Jesus’ choice of places, characters and events.
Pope Francis’ recent visit to the Iraqi the cities of Baghdad, Najaf, Ur, Mosul, Qaraqosh and Erbil has witnessed various interpretations. The ancient land of Mesopotamia is the birthplace of Abraham, the famous father of the three monotheistic religions. The Iraqi region which has seen unprecedented ethno-sectarian conflicts in the last two decades is home to the oldest Christian sects in the world. Alongside other ethnic sects like Arab Sunnis, Yazidis, Kurds and Shiites, the Christian minority suffered great persecution.
With an atmosphere of religious extremism and intolerance, Christians in Iraq have paid the supreme price. With Churches decorated by bullet holes and bomb-rubbles, the Christian- remnant lives in fear and intimidation. While congregations were attacked and clerics kidnapped or killed, life in the region is a replica of the days of early Christian persecution. Therefore, it was a big deal for the Catholic Pontiff to visit and bring a clear message of peace, for
Hezbollah praises Pope s visit to Iraq
Hezbollah praises Pope s visit to Iraq
Beirut, Mar 9 (Prensa Latina) Lebanon s Hezbollah on Tuesday hailed Pope Francis visit to Iraq and his meeting with Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani. Both religious leaders agreed on the need to ease the suffering, injustice, oppression, poverty, religious and intellectual persecution, wars, violence and displacement that many have been facing in various countries, especially the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.
The Islamic Resistance noted that in the last two decades, Iraq has been a victim of wars and conflicts as a result of the occupation by the United States and the creation of Daesh (Islamic State), which it described as two faces of the same coin.
Hezbollah praises Pope s visit to Iraq pressenza.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pressenza.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.