Hope is not bound by circumstances — Two stories of hope in action

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH, GAZA CITY

As we move through Easter Week together I am moved by the witness of the late Pope who prayed and worked for peace in the Middle East. As reported by CBC News:

On Monday night, following the news of the death of Pope Francis, Father Gabriel Romanelli’s cellphone in Gaza did not ring at 8 p.m. as it normally would . . . Pope Francis, had been calling the church [the only Catholic church in Gaza] nightly since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023.

Because both he and Pope Francis are originally from Buenos Aires, Romanelli says they would converse in Spanish, with the pontiff asking about the situation in Gaza, how the people were doing in the midst of the war, and everyday things like if they had enough food and what they had eaten that day.

“It was a singular expression of his love, his concern. A real concern for the good of all and a sign of the good shepherd,’ he said. ‘People feel abandoned, but the call of the Pope gave a very hard sign of hope.”

SABEEL COMMUNITY

I received the reflection below from the Sabeel Community an Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre located in Jerusalem on Easter Monday. The similarities between the first Easter and Easter 2025 are striking.

As we reflect on the resurrection of Jesus, we are compelled to confront the harsh realities of our time, set against the backdrop of an oppressive and unjust world. We stand at the edge of what feels like the end of an era of international law and human rights. We live in a moment when the voices of extremism and oppression are growing louder, with powerful figures like Trump and Netanyahu working towards the annihilation and erasure of the Palestinian people. War crimes continue to devastate regions such as Ukraine, Gaza, Syria, and Sudan. Meanwhile, the looming threat of climate change intensifies the feeling that we are spiralling toward an inevitable crisis.

Yet, as followers of Jesus, we know that Good Friday—known for many of our people as “Joum’a al Hazeenah” – Sad Friday in Arabic—speaks to us in these dark times. The followers of Jesus felt the same despair and anguish that we feel today. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” As He breathed His last, the world seemed to end, just as it feels now—darkness covering the land, the silence of God, the rending of the Temple curtain, and a great earthquake shaking the foundations of the earth (Mathew 27). The political and religious powers of the day condemned Jesus to death, but God vindicated Him and raised Him from the dead.

But Easter is the message that teaches us that hope can arise in the most unlikely of places and in the most unexpected ways.

•             The Women as Witnesses: In a world where women’s voices were dismissed, they were the first to witness to the resurrection. This was a radical act—a challenge to the structures of power that sought to silence them. Today, we must recognize the voices of those at the margins and take their legitimate role in the struggle for liberation.

•             Breaking the Roman Seal: The seal of the tomb was a symbol of imperial power, a power that sought to silence truth. Yet, the tomb broke open, and Jesus was raised. We too are called to break the seals of empire, to resist the forces of oppression that seek to silence the truth.

•             Proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah: Despite the threat of death for proclaiming such a title, the resurrection of Jesus declares that the powers of this world cannot pervert the truth of God’s love and justice. The resurrection is a bold proclamation that God’s justice is real, and no earthly power can thwart it. As Palestinians, we declare that our struggle for justice is not in vain, and the resurrection is the ultimate affirmation that freedom and liberation are possible.

•             Jesus Appearing to His Followers: The resurrected Jesus, the Christ, continues to appear to His disciples, showing them the way forward. The authorities, threatened by these appearances, sought to silence and to put an end to the movement. But nothing can obstruct or reverse the resurrection. Today, in the face of genocide and war, we are called to keep seeking the presence of the Risen Christ among us, continuing His revolutionary work for justice, peace and reconciliation.

In this time of darkness, when all seems lost, we must remember that hope is not bound by circumstances. It is a gift that comes through resistance, through the breaking of seals, and through accepting the leadership of those on the margins. The resurrection is not just an event of the past; it is a living reality that calls us to action today. We must remember the victims, stand with the oppressed, speak truth to power and continue to demand accountability no matter the cost.

As we reaffirm our faith this Easter, we are reminded that no empire, no power, no death can defeat the hope that is found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as He broke through death, we too must break through the systems of oppression and injustice that seek to keep us in the darkness. Hope is alive and will prevail because Christ has Risen, and with Him, we rise in resistance of the forces of destruction, seeking justice for the oppressed and a just peace for the people of Palestine and Israel and the whole world.”

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[Ken Gray] I can barely imagine the world in which Christian Palestinians and all residents of the Middle East live. They live by the same hope which is also mine and yours. Their circumstances are however so very different. Let us all pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the Middle East, and the world.