Hendelsesrik dag for Den hellige far

Tirsdag 12. Mai, dag to av Pavens besøk til Israel og De palestinske områder, besøkte Benedikt XVI tempelhøyden i Jerusalem. Her var han gjest i muslimenes helligdom, Klippemoskeen, og møtte samtidig Stormuftien av Jerusalem. I sin tale adresserte Paven de troende fra alle de tre store monoteistiske religioner, og reflekterte rundt Abrahams rolle som den felles stamfar:

"The Dome of the Rock draws our hearts and minds to reflect upon the mystery of creation and the faith of Abraham. Here the paths of the world's three great monotheistic religions meet, reminding us what they share in common. Each believes in One God, creator and ruler of all. Each recognizes Abraham as a forefather, a man of faith upon whom God bestowed a special blessing. Each has gained a large following throughout the centuries and inspired a rich spiritual, intellectual and cultural patrimony."

Den hellige far fortsatte:

"Since the teachings of religious traditions ultimately concern the reality of God, the meaning of life, and the common destiny of mankind - that is to say, all that is most sacred and dear to us - there may be a temptation to engage in such dialogue with reluctance or ambivalence about its possibilities for success. Yet we can begin with the belief that the One God is the infinite source of justice and mercy, since in him the two exist in perfect unity. Those who confess his name are entrusted with the task of striving tirelessly for righteousness while imitating his forgiveness, for both are intrinsically oriented to the peaceful and harmonious coexistence of the human family".

Hele Pavens tale finnes på Vatikanradioens nettside.

Kort tid etter fortsatte Den hellige far ned til Klagemuren, den jødiske helligdommen. Her plasserte Paven følgende fredsbønn i muren:

"God of all the ages, on my visit to Jerusalem, the "City of Peace", spiritual home to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, I bring before you the joys, the hopes and the aspirations, the trials, the suffering and the pain of all your people throughout the world. God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, hear the cry of the afflicted, the fearful, the bereft; send your peace upon this Holy Land, upon the Middle East, upon the entire human family; stir the hearts of all who call upon your name, to walk humbly in the path of justice and compassion. "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him" (Lam 3:25)!"

H2O-News har video fra seansen.

På programmet tirsdag står også en høflighetsvisitt til Israels to sjefsrabbinere, i tillegg til Regina Cæli-bønn sammen med katolske overhyrder i Det hellige land, samt besøk i ko-katedralen til Det latinske patriarkatet i Jerusalem, og messefeiring i Josafat-dalen.

KI - Katolsk Informasjonstjeneste (Oslo) (12. mai 2009)