Home » World » Camille’s editorial from January 7: Let’s be united!

Camille’s editorial from January 7: Let’s be united!

<!–

–>

“Each person must take care of himself and especially of the other, who is his brother and sister. “

Chis sentence is an extract from the first message of the year 2021 of the Bishops’ Conference of Brazil, released on January 6. It is in the context of the pandemic that the Bishops of Brazil invite the population and the international community to unite and be united.

In fact, this notion of unity, solidarity and mutual aid echoes other news of the day.

First in the United States, where many Christian leaders are calling for national unity and praying for peace after the riots that took place on Capitol Hill, when Congress has officially certified Joe Biden’s victory.

By calling for the immediate release of the 53 pro-democratic activists in Hong Kong, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is also showing solidarity in the name of fundamental human rights.

The same goes for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which implores the Egyptian government to release Ramy Kamel, defender of the rights of Egyptian Coptic Christians.

Solidarity is what the parents of Malicornay students have shown by supporting Matthieu Faucher, the teacher accused of proselytizing religious students by making them study extracts from the Bible. Yet agnostic, the teacher has always defended himself, arguing that it was a teaching of general culture, justice finally gave him reason.

And finally, a nice act of mutual aid in the Central African Republic where the rebels have taken control of Bangassou. Bishop Juan José Aguirre Muñoz testifies to a difficult situation. In the midst of chaos, he gathered orphans to shelter them from harm.

We all know Jesus’ command to love our neighbor like ourselves, but on the question of solidarity I also invite you to read again chapters 1 and 2 of the book of James. In the first part he develops this call to solidarity, before giving it a theological basis in the second chapter. He reminds us that solidarity is linked to compassion for the other.

An exhortation to mutual aid that takes on its full meaning in the current context where many suffer from isolation.

At the start of the year, here is a great encouragement not to remain centered on ourselves but, like the Bishops of Brazil (and especially Jesus), to turn to others.

Camille Westphal Perrier

<!–

Ensemble, offrons 50 000 Bibles au Pakistan

—>
<!–

Faire un don pour les chrétiens persécutés

—>

© Info Chrétienne – Short partial reproduction authorized, followed by a “Read more” link to this page.

SUPPORT CHRISTIAN INFO

Info Chrétienne being an online press service recognized by the Ministry of Culture, your donation is tax deductible up to 66%.

<!–

Vous souhaitez recevoir une alerte par email dès qu’un nouvel article est publié ?

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”” subscribe_text=”” subscribe_button=”Recevoir une alerte” show_subscribers_total=”0″]

—>

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.