Australasian-Middle East Christian Apostolic Churches
(AMEC)
The Holy Land weeps: Call for an end to the bloodshed.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” (John 14:27)
The past week we have witnessed with growing concern and distress the escalating hostilities between Israel and Hamas, especially in relation to Gaza.
Whatever position one holds regarding the ongoing condition of the Palestine-Israel dispute, the present situation must surely be the cause of apprehension and alarm. Both parties must come to an awareness that there can be no justification for the inhumane treatment of civilians, especially women and children, and the elderly.
We appeal to both sides to pause and to consider the common source of our monotheistic faith. We are children of Abraham, our Father in Faith. In us, the All Highest has fulfilled his promise to Abraham, “I will make your descendants more numerous as the stars in the heavens.” (Gen 26:4). For the sake of that promise, the Abrahamic peoples must strive for peace and understanding amongst themselves.
We urge the clergy and faithful of our several churches, Catholic and Orthodox, to pray and fast as we implore the Good Lord to move the hearts of those who govern, that decency, humane behaviour, order and the rule of law will be soon restored in the disturbed areas.
And as we consider the current crisis between Israel and Hamas, our thoughts turn also to the long suffering people of Armenia, Sudan and Ukraine.
✠ Robert Rabbat, DD
President of AMEC
14/10/23