COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle
I have just attended a wonderful Christmas concert at St Mary of the Angels in Wellington – the Bach Choir, the Chiesa Ensemble and excellent soloists sent a thrill through my body. The final piece, Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi, triggered these thoughts.
The Gloria, of course, is a traditional element of the Catholic mass, and the maestro’s version is one of the Christmas favourites. But in 2024, in the midst of the Gaza genocide, surely Christian observance means more than, for example, turning up to church, enjoying the choir, and having a cup of tea and a scone.
How then should Christians translate Gloria in excelsis Deo?
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Gloria in excelsis Deo. Glory to God in the highest.
The best way to venerate is to emulate. Which is why the American Christians like to ask themselves: “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do?) — quite a practical question. The curious part is they come up with the craziest answers.
American bombs, delivered by Israeli soldiers, have torn thousands of Palestinian children apart. Thousands today need new artificial limbs. Most, for want of Christian charity, will never get them.
A year ago, in the early days of these crimes against humanity, I heard the best and wisest sermon of my life by Palestinian minister Reverend Munther Isaac, delivered in the Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. He titled his sermon “Christ in the rubble” .
Christ in the Rubble sermon, Christmas 2023. Video: Democracy Now!
Fearing not just for Gaza but for all of Palestine and what will come next, he said:
“We are tormented by the silence of the world.
“Leaders of the so-called Free World lined up one after the other to give the green light to this genocide against a captive population.”
“Here we confront the Theology of Empire,” he said, a theology that enlists even the Bible to justify killing men, women and children on an industrial scale. A year later, hundreds are still being killed every week. All means of existence are being denied the people of Gaza.
Jurists and scholars from one end of the earth to the other say we are witnessing genocide. Do you think Jesus Christ would approve of such conduct by an all-powerful army supported by the richest Christian-majority nations?
Recall his righteous rage when he drove the moneychangers from the temple; their transgression is small-change compared to what is being done to the children of Gaza. WWJD?
Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. And peace on earth to people of good will.
Jesus, a Palestinian, died a violent death at the hands of a colonial regime working in concert with local elites. We know where his sympathies would lie today — with the refugees, the starved, the sick, the persecuted.
When confronted with something on this scale, it is important we refrain from despair or helplessness. We can be part of building a global movement of solidarity with suffering humanity.
- This is a time for activism eg, join demonstrations in support of Palestine. They bring good people of all faiths and outlooks together.
- Tell your bank and your stockbroker (if you have one) to divest from Israel. If you are an ASB customer, check out the Don’t Bank on Apartheid campaign.
- Donate to organisations like Justice for Palestine.
- Gift books on Palestine for Christmas. I recommend The 100 Years War on Palestine by Palestinian American writer Rashid Khalidi and A Very Short History of the Israel–Palestine Conflict by Israeli historian Ilan Pappe.
- Expand your news sites. Al Jazeera is the best mainstream media site. Jadaliyya.com is edited by distinguished scholar Mouin Rabbani. Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor are more informative than our major news sites.
- Write to Parliamentarians, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, about your concerns, eg, that it is time to
- join South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ;
- expel the Israeli ambassador in protest;
- take our US ally to task for their part in the genocide;
- call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire;
- withdraw NZ troops from Operation Prosperity Guardian;
- call on New Zealand to live up to its obligations under the International Court of Justice ruling 19th July 2024 “not to recognise as legal the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Territories and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation”; and
- restore and massively increase funding to UNRWA and to condemn attacks on the United Nations and to call genocide by its name.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Thou who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Jesus was not born in a stable so that thousands of Palestinians could be born in tents.
If God so loved the world, do we imagine God would approve of the satanic violence being meted out to 2.3 million Palestinians this Christmas?
Would God forgive the leaders of all the Western governments, including New Zealand’s, who have actively supported this daily slaughter of the Innocents?
The Babe Jesus isn’t the only baby we should be caring about this Christmas. All people of goodwill need to oppose these crimes and do all we can to bring to a close Israel’s war on Palestinians.
Miserere nobis. Have mercy upon us.
Come on, people, let us support the Palestinian people in their hour of need.
Amen
Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. He hosts the public policy platform solidarity.co.nz He is a lapsed Catholic who has maintained lifelong contact with some of the nuns who played an influential part in his upbringing.
