MAY THIS RAMADAN RENEW OUR WORLD!
Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua
Many people wondered why Blessed Pope John
Paul II kissed the Koran in 2006![1]
The Pope had longed to go to Iraq because Abraham is claimed as a
father in faith by Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Pope John Paul II was fully
aware of the depth of man’s inhumanity to his brothers and sisters. He was
aware of the violence in the world and how the degradation of the human persons
has been painted in human blood. He was aware of how some world leaders
manipulate religion to their selfish and political ambition. His many Mea Culpas on behalf of the Church and
the world has created a new understanding between peoples of different faiths
and promoted dialogue, tolerance, and cooperation in the place of anathemas, persecution, and rivalry. He
acknowledged Abraham as a figure of unity to enhance a political change for a
better world.
No wonder then that the Holy
Father received a delegation that included the Shiite Imam of Khadum Mosque,
the Sunni President of the council that operates the Iraqi Islamic Bank, and a
member of the Iraqi Ministry of Religion who saw this encounter as a grace from
heaven. Although Iraq has been accused of violations of human rights, this
Islamic state is known to be tolerant of Christians. Many Catholics hold
positions in government, commerce, education and other establishments in Iraq.
The Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon (Iraq), His Beatitude Raphael I Bidawid, who
was a major spokesman for the delegation, applauded the Pope’s actions and
words as a true sign of concern from the Successor of St. Peter. In Islam, a gift
represents the giver so the Muslims gave to the Pope what is the most dear to
their heart and most important to them, their holy book. This was why the Pope
showed his deep appreciation to this intimate self-donation, by bowing and
kissing the Koran as a sign of respect. The Pope appreciated the suffering of
the Iraqi people, particularly the women and children. The Blessed Pope John
Paul II respects the culture and traditions of every nation hence he kissed the
ground of all the nations he visited in his sojourn on earth.
The Pontifical Council for
Inter-religious Dialogue (PCID) has never failed to send a good will message to
Muslims all over the world during Ramadan. This is an expression of how much
the Church regards the Muslims in the declaration on the relation of the Church
to non-Christian religions (Nostra
Aetate), proclaimed by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on October 28, 1965, that: “The Church
regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and
subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and
earth [2] who
has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His
inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes
pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge
Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin
Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await
the Day of Judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been
raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God
especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting. Since in the course of
centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and
Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely
for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the
benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and
freedom.”[3]
In this Ramadan, 2013, I join my
voice to that of the Universal Church to wish the Muslims all over the world
and the Muslims in Nigeria in particular a grace filled Ramadan. To our Muslim
brethren, I pray that as you begin your fast and penance, “In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful; praise be to
Allah, the cherisher and sustainer of the worlds; most gracious, most merciful;
master of the day of judgement. Thee do we worship, and thine aid we seek. Show
us the straight way, the way of those on whom thou hast bestowed thy grace,
those whose portion is not wrath and who go not astray”; [4]
may your prayers and penance be acceptable to God who is the author of life and
desires to sustain the life he has created by teaching all men and women the
message of peace.
May this holy season open the
gate of peace to the whole world! May the gate of hell be firmly locked for all
good people who worship the true God and surrender to him on the right path! In
this season of mercy and compassion may the heart of men and women be completely
transformed to such an extent that no one may ever qualify any aspect of Islam
again with “terrorism”. May Allah bless and protect all the Muslims who are
making efforts to rescue Islam and other religions from the dungeon of some
politicians who have taken the advantage of the sensitive nature and the
vulnerability of religion to their own egoistic whims and caprices.
Almighty Allah, your religion has
been abused and manipulated to promote violence whereas your name Oh God is
love, mercy, compassion, peace and all that is good. In you Oh God, there is no
wrong nor can you be associated with the evil of killing innocent people. Prove
to us in this Ramadan that you do not enjoy violence and that no one is allowed
to kill in your name. Teach us again that
we are brothers and sisters from a common source and like a father; you do not
enjoy the sight of your children killing one another in your name. Do not allow
any one fight in his name and claim that he is fighting in your name.
May this Ramadan change the heart
of everybody from evil to good so that our world will once again enjoy love and
peaceful coexistence! O God of peace and love, any bomb blast at this sacred
season of penance and fasting will contradict the spirit of Ramadan and the
faith of Islam. Akin to the Lenten song of Christians, touch the hearts of all
the sponsors and executors of terrorist activities to cry to you God of mercy
and compassion so that you may look with pity upon them. Put into their hearts
and mouths the song of the prodigal son: “Yes I shall arise and return to my
father,” If they truly repent, accept their penance and contrite heart like you
did to David when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her husband
Uriah, the Hittite. In your compassion,
blot out their offence. Wash them more and more from their guilt and cleanse
them from their sin (Psalm 50, 1)!
It is still fresh in my mind how we used to look forward to Ramadan. I
can not easily forget how we celebrate with Muslims during their festivals in
the past. I pray that this culture of peaceful co-existence will be experienced
in the whole world and in Nigeria in particular today. Beloved brethren, as you
begin the Ramadan, I wish you love and peace!
Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and
Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja; and Consultor of the
Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M), Vatican City
(comonokhua@hotmail.com).
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