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U.S. expresses solidarity with families of hostages

28 Jun 2015 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Jesus encounters people in dire need in this Sunday’s gospel. He does not abandon them but stands by them until their needs are met. The U.S. government signaled this week that it will do a better job standing with families of hostages in efforts to secure the safe recovery of the hostages. “The U.S. government may also assist private efforts to communicate with hostage-takers to secure the safe recovery of a hostage, whether directly or through public or private intermediaries,” the new guidelines state. “These efforts will be focused on ensuring the safety and security of a family to prevent them from being defrauded or further victimized by a hostage-taker. In short, we will not abandon families in their greatest time of need." Homily hint: The change in U.S. policy toward those whose loved ones are in hostage situations is long overdue. Compassion and support had for too long been neglected in the effort to “be firm” with hostage takers. And beyond this change, let’s be supporters of peace efforts that make the taking of hostages a non-issue. Those without enemies have no one to fear. For more on the U.S government's new stance on hostages, see: Obama Announces Change in Hostage Policy

Compassion hostages solidarity

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Muslims respond to terror with prayerful solidarity

07 Aug 2016 - Preaching the News for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,” says Jesus in this Sunday’s gospel, while the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen,” even for all who, like Abraham and Sarah, “died in faith” well before that hope was fully realized in Christ. Fr. Jacques Hamel, 86, was killed in his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy, France on July 26 by two men who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. He worked for interfaith reconciliation during his life, and France's Muslim council, the CFCM, urged Muslims to show “solidarity and compassion” after his murder. “We are all Catholics of France,” said Anouar Kbibech, the head of the CFCM. Muslims in France and elsewhere attended Catholic Mass last Sunday in a sign of solidarity following the brutal murder. More than 100 Muslims were among the 2,000 parishioners who filled the pews of the Cathedral of Rouen. “We're very touched,” the archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, told BFMTV. “It's an important gesture of fraternity.” “For me, it is very important to be here today,” Mohammed Karabila, president of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray Mosque, said in Rouen. “It should be shown physically, because until now the Muslim community did a lot of things that were not seen. Today we wanted to show physically, by kissing the family of Jacques Hamel, by kissing His Grace Lebrun in front of everybody, so they know that the two communities are united.” Some 50 Muslims had already joined 350 Catholics at a vigil in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray's second church on Saturday night. A service was also held recently at the Saint-Pierre-de-l'Ariane church in a mainly immigrant area of Nice. Earlier in July, 84 people died in an ISIS-inspired attack in Nice when a truck was driven into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day. Muslims in Italy also attended Mass last Sunday. Three imams sat in the front row at Santa Maria Trastevere church in Rome. “Mosques are not a place in which fanatics become radicalized,” said Mohammed ben Mohammed, a member of the Union of Islamic Communities in Italy. “Mosques do the opposite of terrorism: they diffuse peace and dialogue.” “We are very moved by the presence of our Muslim friends and I believe it is a courageous act that they did by coming to us,” Lebrun said following the service. Some of the Muslims sat in the front row, across from the altar. Among the parishioners was a nun who was briefly taken hostage at the church when he was killed. Outside the church, a group of Muslims were applauded when they unfurled a banner: “Love for all. Hate for none.” A particularly moving moment occurred during the sign of the peace. Archbishop Lebrun used the moment to step into the congregation and greet Muslim leaders attending. Lessons drawn from the readings “May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you,” prays the psalmist this Sunday. Kindness seems in short supply when we listen to the news these days. But when we unplug the mass media and look around us, we see acts of kindness and solidarity all around us. When confronted with violence and evil, instead of responding in kind, let us respond with kindness. Final thought in light of the news We hear so much about what divides us in our nation and our world. The news cycle thrives on division, whereas gestures of solidarity and union too often go unnoted. Encourage interfaith alliances, study groups, and worship services in your community. Build bonds of solidarity and understanding that ignorance and hatred cannot destroy.

religious unity Muslims interfaith reconciliation solidarity france

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Quotes

28 May 2017 - Seventh Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Christ, who promised to make his disciples one in God with him, who promised that he would be in God and God in us, has realized this in a mysterious way: He has accomplished this great work, this stupendous privilege for us. —John Henry Newman (1801-1890) The experience of compassion is the experience of suffering or feeling with someone . . . . This is also the experience of solidarity . . . . The secret of Jesus' infallible insight and unshakable convictions was his unfailing experience of solidarity with God, which revealed itself as an experience of solidarity with humanity and nature. —Albert Nolan, O.P. If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. —Mark 8:34

john henry newman Compassion solidarity

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Homily stories

23 Dec 2018 - Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle C

New jobs, job promotions, acceptance at your first-choice school, straight A’s, getting engaged, the mortgage approved, the account you were vying for, front row tickets to the game of the century—these are all extremely exciting moments in the course of any life, but they pale in comparison to giving birth—at least for most people, under even the worst circumstances. Human beings can’t help themselves: New life is irresistible, even if only for a brief moment before the worries and responsibilities of caring for this new life push their way into the nursery. What is often not so joyful is discovering that you or someone you love is pregnant under not the best of circumstances—too old, too young, unmarried, unhappy, unhealthy, or, worse yet, carrying a baby that is far from perfect. The wait can seem painfully long and each day filled with the agony of uncertainty about what the future holds. Today’s gospel addresses that anguish. Mary and Elizabeth are kindred spirits to all those facing difficult pregnancies. They had their questions and doubts, but they held out hope for the strength to handle whatever came their way. They were determined and faithful women. They are witnesses to the power of love and commitment, but most of all, their actions demonstrate the need for support and solidarity during difficult times. Offer yourself this day in service to another in need.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

elizabeth difficult pregnancies doubts solidarity

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Homily stories

22 Dec 2024 - Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle C

New jobs, job promotions, acceptance at your first-choice school, straight A’s, getting engaged, the mortgage approved, the account you were vying for, front-row tickets to the game of the century—these are all extremely exciting moments in the course of any life, but they pale in comparison to giving birth—at least for most people, under even the worst circumstances. Human beings can’t help themselves: New life is irresistible, even if only for a brief moment before the worries and responsibilities of caring for this new life push their way into the nursery. What is often not so joyful is discovering that you or someone you love is pregnant under not the best of circumstances—too old, too young, unmarried, unhappy, unhealthy, or, worse yet, carrying a baby that is far from perfect. The wait can seem painfully long and each day filled with the agony of uncertainty about what the future holds. Today’s gospel addresses that anguish. Mary and Elizabeth are kindred spirits to all those facing difficult pregnancies. They had their questions and doubts, but they held out hope for the strength to handle whatever came their way. They were determined and faithful women. They are witnesses to the power of love and commitment, but most of all, their actions demonstrate the need for support and solidarity during difficult times. Offer yourself this day in service to another in need.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

difficult pregnancies mary and elizabeth support solidarity

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