Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, are currently visiting the Holy Land. On 23rd December 23rd, they met with His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of the Latin Church. It was a valuable opportunity for dialogue and sharing which follows on from the commitment made by the whole Movement during the most recent worldwide conference call, text below, video available here – moment for peace about 48 mins in:

Davide: We want to conclude this link-up by renewing our commitment to Peace together. Here and now.

INDIA (in Hindi): PEACE, we ask for peace in every corner of the world so that the conflicts that still afflict so many countries may cease. We commit ourselves to building Peace by starting with small daily gestures.

VENEZUELA (in Spanish): WELCOME, for people forced to flee their country, so that they may find, in us and in so many people, minds, hearts and hands that are open and willing to “become neighbours” to those who have lost everything.

JORDAN (in Arabic): COURAGE, may it be the guide for governments and international diplomacy and may it help in implementing firm and decisive political choices aimed at peace and the common good.

ZIMBABWE (in Ndebele): JUSTICE, to be implemented soon for all peoples, especially for those still suffering because of violence, hatred, oppression, exploitation.

USA (in English): DIALOGUE, among people of diverse cultures and faiths. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to grow in their faith, in respect for others, and in generating collaborative spaces towards a more just and united world.

BETHLEHEM (in Arabic): HOPE, we are committed to ensuring that all children, teenagers and young people have the opportunity to grow up in peace and be educated to a culture of peace, in full respect of their rights.

HONDURAS (in Spanish): SOLIDARITY, for those who have experienced natural disasters. We want to offer practical and tangible aid and support them so that they do not lose the hope and the strength to start again.

ROMANIA (in Romanian): TOGETHER, as people of all Christian denominations we want to continue along paths of collaboration and fraternal friendship by reaching out to those who are suffering the most and are rejected by society.

Jesús (in Spanish): FRATERNITY, we commit ourselves so that our tongues and hands may be disarmed, so that hearts and minds may be renewed and so that, more and more, we may look upon our common humanity and recognise each other as “brothers and sisters”.

Margaret (in Italian): UNITY, may it be the goal we never tire of walking towards, welcoming all diversity not with fear, but as a challenge and a richness in our shared journey towards peace. We are almost at the end of this year, aren’t we? I would like to send greetings to everyone in the world, the most beautiful Christmas greetings. But first, together with all of you, I would like to thank Jesus, because first of all he became small, he loved us first and he taught us what being close means and what it means to love beyond measure.

So, let’s ask him to open our hearts, more than ever, to a complete welcome, to authentic and true relationships, so that we can truly be bearers of peace and of hope for each person.

Happy Christmas to everyone!