An Easter Message

A friend of ChristLife's, Lilian Schmid from Australia, sent the following testimony to me about her background as a Lebanese Christian - and how we as Christians should be more united - especially at Easter as we celebrate together Jesus Christ's resurrection. Inspiring!

I was born in Beirut, at the age of 13 the civil war of Lebanon broke in 1975. Our shelter was the small living room where many of our neighbours and relatives use to gather to feel safe and protection. Young high school Christian students left their school, Christian students left their universities to join the Christian Militia to fight Muslims. It was a nasty war, I won’t go in details because I hate politics. I didn’t have a happy teen age years, war affected everything, I remember my father use to travel under the bombs, to feed a family of 4, my mother, myself the eldest, my sister and my brother. My parents were always under stress and fear but what kept us going was faith. Being Christian Lebanese means our culture is based on our religion. So in Lebanon we have 2 cultures the Christian and the Muslim Cultures.

I was lucky because our school was not far from home. Finishing high school, money was an issue during the war and many like me didn’t have the chance to go to uni but to start working at early age to earn money to take their burden off their parents. So I was lucky to start work experience at Beirut Ryad Bank in Beirut CBD at the age of 17. I’ve grown up in a very restrictive Catholic Lebanese family; also Lebanese parents are very protective over their children.

Working in a bank at the age of 17 gave me confidence to meet bank managers, CEO, customers and know at early age how to interact with business people. But the only thing I had to keep to myself is my religion identity, because Beirut CBD was a city on fire at the time. The first week my mother use to travel with me and in the afternoon I may find someone coming to the Christian area who would give me a lift.

Prayers always were on my lips traveling everyday from the Christian area to the Muslim area to work. Many other Lebanese did the same. I worked only 6 moths in Beirut CBD and I did ask for a transfer but the problem they need more people in the city then other branches, because Muslim employees occupied the branches in the Muslim area and the Christian employees occupied the branches in the Christian areas.

I had always a cross around my neck but it was always hidden and once I am in the Christian area I would pull it out.

M parents suggested that I start finding work close to home due to the war situation and they were scared if I would be trapped one day in the other area. It was an adventure at the time and I couldn’t believe that I did it. So what kept me going? And who protected me? It was JESUS. MY FAITH WAS SO STRONG. THAT’S WHY NOW; NOTHING MATTERS TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE FAITH IN HIM WHO KEPT ME ALIVE DURING THE WAR.

I decided to go back to college and study Accounting. So I took evening classes and I was teaching languages in the morning in a Catholic School near by. I met wonderful teachers through my teaching years and we use to share our faith and because it is one Christian community, we all know each other and what we believe. Sometimes Catholics picks on Orthodox or vies versa but we never hated each other.

IN FACT ALL CHRISTIANS IN LEBANON STOOD WITH EACH OTHER (PROTESTANT, CATHOLIC, ORTHODOX) AGAINST THE MUSLIMS. HERE IN THE WEST WE PICK ON EACH OTHER AND WE JUDGE EACH OTHER. WHEN YOU FACE DANGER, YOU FORGET WHAT YOUR DENOMINATION IS, YOU ONLY THINK, THAT YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND YOU HAVE TO DEFEND YOUR FAITH.

I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE BEEN KILLED AT THE FRONT OF MY EYES, I HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO DIED TO DEFEND OUR EXISTENCE AS CHRISTIANS IN LEBANON AND YET, I FEEL VERY SHOCKED HERE IN AUSTRALIA TO SEE PEOPLE BECOMING AGGRESSIVE AND JEALOUS FROM EACH OTHER AND THEY WANT TO GRAB EACH OTHER’S TITLE OR POSITION AND THEY SAY:” GOD WANTS ME TO DO THIS AND THAT”

I SAY TO THIS PEOPLE GROW UP. WHAT WE DO AS CHRISTIAN IS WE DO GOD’S WILL; IT IS HIS WILL NOT OURS AND IF WE DO ANY MINISTRY, IT IS HIS MINISTRY.

Unfortunately, Lebanese People who were born in Australian don’t know exactly how much Lebanese in Lebanon suffered. And yes we are very educated and we have very intellectual people who achieved PhDs, Master, and degrees, even the war hit their homes and their parents died either from cancer of bombs or stress, or poverty.

I came to Australian in 1991, I studied hard to achieve something I couldn’t achieve in Lebanon, I was lucky to come here and I thank my God for Australia, it is a great nation, be grateful guys.

To start with 1992 I worked as a machine operator at Sydney Institute of Technology and then from 1994 to 1996 I became a Second Officer in Charge in the Payroll Section. I always shared my love of the Lord and how he saved us to come to Australia.

In 1995 I met my wonderful husband Bjorn and through him I learned not to hate other religions but to love them and pray for them. I have lots of experience in the workplace and I know people from executive to cleaners and to me they are the same. Jesus loves us all the same, and he died for us all.

Maybe the cleaner one day will have a higher place in heaven and the executive will be the last. So be humble and let the light of Christ shine on you and then It will shine on others as well.

Brothers and sisters at this time of Easter let us look and feel the suffering of Christ and remember that He died because He loved us. So let’s love one another and put our hate aside

HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL!

Lilian and her husband Bjorn work for a Christian group in Australia called Australian Marketplace Connections focused on helping Christians in the marketplace network and together build the Kingdom of God.

Do you give up so easily on Jesus?

An incredible story from Iraq from the Catholic News Agency via Sherry W. at the Intentional Disciples blog.

"As Fr. Bautista continued speaking with us, he described the fascinating story of a young Muslim woman who was entering the Church under his guidance through the RCIA process. Her story was moving. While working with Americans, this woman, who must remain anonymous, was touched deeply when she realized that the U.S. medical personnel not only treated wounded Americans and Iraqi civilians, but also treated wounded enemy combatants, including one who was known for having killed U.S. Marines. As she put it, “This cannot happen with us.”

This dramatic extension of mercy even to enemy soldiers caused her to take the next cautious step. She asked Father Bautista to “tell me more about Jesus.” As Father described Jesus and his life in the Gospels, one thing stood out among the rest for the Muslim woman he called “Fatima” (not her real name) and that was how kindly Jesus had related to, as she put it, “the two Mary’s.” Fatima was moved to see how Jesus deeply loved Mary, his mother, who was sinless, but also how Jesus deeply loved Mary Magdalene, who was “a great sinner.” As these discussions continued, Fatima reached a point where she said to Father Bautista, “I want to become a Christian.”

Since Father Bautista sees himself as a chaplain for all troops, not just Catholics, he decided to introduce Fatima to other chaplains from Protestant and Orthodox backgrounds. After some time had passed, Fatima returned to Father Bautista and said, “I want to become a Catholic like you.” When Father asked her the reason for her decision, she said, “You were the only one who told me about the other Christians, so you left me free to decide for myself. That’s how I knew this was the right decision.”

As their catechetical lessons developed over time, Fatima’s family discovered her plan and was warned sternly by her father that if she continued on this path, she would be disowned by the entire family and would never have contact with them again. At this point, Father Bautista became concerned for Fatima’s well-being and cautioned her to look carefully at the consequences of her decision and to think seriously before continuing her path into the Church.

Fatima paused for a moment and then looking intently at Father Bautista asked, “Do you give up so easily on Jesus?” The question took Father aback for a moment, but then he thought, “This is incredible; this Muslim woman is already bearing witness to me about how important my own faith is!”

As he related it, this woman’s question had caused him to give greater thanks for his faith and for the great privilege of sharing Christ with others. Fatima is currently continuing the RCIA process with great courage and joy."

Amazing! Please pray for "Fatima" and all who journey toward Christ this Advent!

Appreciating the Brethren

I was reading the Intentional Disciples blog this morning and I came across a great statement from Vatican II that is useful reflecting on as we encounter non-Catholic Christians.

"... Catholics must gladly acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments from our common heritage which are to be found among our separated brethren. It is right and salutary to recognize the riches of Christ and virtuous works in the lives of others who are bearing witness to Christ, sometimes even to the shedding of their blood. For God is always wonderful in His works and worthy of all praise."

"Nor should we forget that anything wrought by the grace of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of our separated brethren can be a help to our own edification. Whatever is truly Christian is never contrary to what genuinely belongs to the faith; indeed, it can always bring a deeper realization of the mystery of Christ and the Church."

-Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio) (1964), I, 4.

Before I comment, the icon above is the apostle Peter (representing the Western - Latin Church) embracing the apostle Andrew (representing the Eastern - Greek Church). Unity has been a project in the Church since the beginning. Read Acts of the Apostles!.

As far as the statement, first, this is great to hear, especially from the teaching authority of the Church! And especially in 1964. Very prophetic.

Now, of course, none of this obviously contradicts our belief in the fullness of truth within the Catholic Church (which we pray all Christians, including us Catholics come to appreciate more and more). But, ultimately, ecumenism is an important part of the fullness of truth. Read what JPII wrote about it.

As far as our witness to non-Catholic Christians I think we need to always first recognize the enormity of our unity in Christ first and then, as we feel led, move forward with dialog and witness.
Our witness and our speech needs to be seasoned with salt though and should recognize that much disunity in the Church stems from miscommunication. Click on the above banner to access a really great Web site which is devoted to "building bridges and healing division with Evangelicals." This site explains Catholic truth in a way that is easy to understand for non-Catholics. Each article ends with the following prayer to Jesus for unity.

Lord Jesus, let Your prayer of unity for Christians
become a reality, in Your way
we have absolute confidence
that you can bring your people together
we give you absolute permission to move
Amen.