Text of Pope Benedict XVI's Address in Presidential Palace Jerusalem
(11 May 09 - RV) Mr President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
As
a kind gesture of hospitality President Peres has welcomed us here to his residence,
enabling me to greet you all and to have this opportunity to share a few thoughts
with you. Mr President, I thank you for this gracious welcome, and for your courteous
greeting which I warmly reciprocate. I also thank the musicians who have entertained
us with their fine performance. Mr President, in the message of congratulations
which I sent to you on the occasion of your inauguration, I gladly recalled your distinguished
record of public service marked by a strong commitment to the pursuit of justice and
peace. This afternoon I wish to assure you, together with Prime Minister Netanyahu
and his newly formed Government, and all the people of the State of Israel that my
pilgrimage to the holy places is one of prayer for the precious gift of unity and
peace for the Middle East and all of humanity. Indeed, I pray daily for peace born
of justice to return to the Holy Land and the entire region, bringing security and
renewed hope for all. Peace is above all a divine gift. For peace is the Almighty’s
promise to humanity, and harbors unity. In the book of the prophet Jeremiah we read:
“I know the plans I have in mind for you – it is the Lord who speaks – plans for peace
not disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11-12). The prophet
reminds us of the Almighty’s promise that he can “be found”, that he “will listen”,
that he “will gather us together as one”. But there is a proviso: we must “seek him”,
and “seek him with all our heart” (cf. ibid., 12-14). To the religious
leaders present this afternoon, I wish to say that the particular contribution of
religions to the quest for peace lies primarily in the wholehearted, united search
for God. Ours is the task of proclaiming and witnessing that the Almighty is present
and knowable even when he seems hidden from our sight, that he acts in our world for
our good, and that a society’s future is marked with hope when it resonates in harmony
with his divine order. It is God’s dynamic presence that draws hearts together and
ensures unity. In fact, the ultimate foundation of unity among persons lies in the
perfect oneness and universality of God, who created man and woman in his image and
likeness in order to draw us into his own divine life so that all may be one. Religious
leaders must therefore be mindful that any division or tension, any tendency to introversion
or suspicion among believers or between our communities, can easily lead to a contradiction
which obscures the Almighty’s oneness, betrays our unity, and contradicts the One
who reveals himself as “abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6;
Ps 138:2; Ps 85:11). My friends: Jerusalem, which has long been a crossroads
for peoples of many different origins, is a city which affords Jews, Christians and
Muslims both the duty and the privilege to bear witness together to the peaceful coexistence
long desired by worshippers of the one God; to lay bare the Almighty’s plan for the
unity of the human family announced to Abraham; and to proclaim the true nature of
man as a seeker of God. Let us resolve to ensure that through the teaching and guidance
of our respective communities we shall assist them to be true to who they are as believers,
ever aware of the infinite goodness of God, the inviolable dignity of every human
being, and the unity of the entire human family. Sacred Scripture also presents
us with an understanding of security. According to the Hebrew usage, security – batah
– arises from trust and refers not just to the absence of threat but also to the sentiment
of calmness and confidence. In the book of the prophet Isaiah we read of a time of
divine blessing: “Once more the Spirit is poured upon us … and justice will dwell
in the wilderness and integrity in the fertile land; integrity will bring peace, and
justice everlasting security” (Is 32:15-17). Security, integrity, justice
and peace. In God’s design for the world, these are inseparable. Far from being
simply products of human endeavor, they are values which stem from God’s fundamental
relationship with man, and dwell as a common patrimony in the heart of every individual.
There is only one way to protect and promote these values: exercise them! Live
them! No individual, family, community or nation is exempt from the duty to live
in justice and to work for peace. And naturally, civic and political leaders are
expected to ensure just and proper security for the people whom they have been elected
to serve. That objective forms a part of the rightful promotion of values common
to humanity and thus cannot conflict with the unity of the human family. The authentic
values and goals of a society, which always safeguard human dignity, are indivisible,
universal and interdependent (cf. Address to the United Nations, 18 April 2008).
Thus they cannot be satisfied when they fall prey to particular interests or piecemeal
politics. A nation’s true interest is always served by the pursuit of justice for
all. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, lasting security is a matter of trust,
nurtured in justice and integrity, and sealed through the conversion of hearts which
stirs us to look the other in the eye, and to recognize the “Thou”, as my equal, my
brother, my sister. In this way does not society itself become the “fruitful field”
(Is 32:15) marked, not by blocks or obstructions, but by cohesion and vibrancy?
Can it not become a community with noble aspirations where all are willingly afforded
access to education, family housing and the opportunity for employment, a society
ready to build upon the lasting foundations of hope? To conclude, I would like
to turn to the ordinary families of this city, of this country. What parents would
ever want violence, insecurity, or disunity for their son or daughter? What humane
political end can ever be served through conflict and violence? I hear the cry of
those who live in this land for justice, for peace, for respect for their dignity,
for lasting security, a daily life free from the fear of outside threats and senseless
violence. And I know that considerable numbers of men and women and young people
are working for peace and solidarity through cultural programs and through initiatives
of compassionate and practical outreach; humble enough to forgive, they have the courage
to grasp the dream that is their right. Mr President, I thank you for the courtesy
you have shown to me and I assure you again of my prayers for the Government and all
the citizens of this State. May a genuine conversion of the hearts of all lead to
an ever strengthening commitment to peace and security through justice for everyone. Shalom!