We are celebrating the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This feast has a special meaning this year for us who are in a situation of deep oppression from military occupation.

Easter 2001

Very Dear Friends of Zababdeh,

We are celebrating the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This feast has a special meaning this year for us who are in a situation of deep oppression from military occupation and economic deprivation.

The words of peace so long promised by our leaders remain unfulfilled. We are isolated, we are cut off from the world, cut off from our neighbors, cut off from each other. We are facing the darkness of death – physical, political, national. In spite of all these sufferings we have hope because our Lord teaches us that, through his solidarity, suffering and death will have not the last word if we follow his steps and are sympathetic and support one another.

Therefore I seize this occasion to express my sincere gratitude for your solidarity and generosity in all the kind help to date: milk for children, food and clothing for the poor, medicine for the sick, fees for the students, work for the “captive” fathers. In this solidarity we would like to call to mind the words of Jesus: “In as much as you do this for the least of my little ones, you do for me. By this, the world will know that you are my disciples – that you love one another.” We ask God “to fill you with the knowledge of his will with all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives” and we beg you to pray that God will inspire the men of good will to put an end to this long conflict that affects the people of the Holy Land.

With our best wishes for a Happy and Holy Easter to you and to your family and to all our friends. Christ is Risen, Alleluia. Fr. Dr. Louis Hazboun