On the feast of Palm Sunday, a Fedayeen suicide bomber in Alexandria, Egypt, killed at least 17 who were in church and wounded 48, and another blew himself up in the middle of a church service, killing 29 and wounding 78 at Tanta. A few days later, in Asso, Nigeria, Fulani gunmen invaded a village and mowed down a dozen residents in an attack targeting Catholics. On May 24, in Marawi, the Philippines, nine Christians were captured by Islamic militants and shot. Two days later, in Minya Province, Egypt, Islamic gunmen massacred 28 Coptic Christians who were on their way in pilgrimage to a monastery.

This list is far from complete and it only covers the months of April and May of this year. During these two months, the Church was celebrating the Easter season, the foremost time of the Christian faith. Many of these victims were targeted precisely when their attackers knew they would be gathered to celebrate these feasts.

Most of these attacks happened in places were Christians are in a minority and where the majority of the population is Muslim, although Christians are persecuted also in other places. Maybe sometimes we fail to appreciate the precarious situations of our Christian brethren in these countries.

Some of our choices do not seem to be making us great witnesses of the faith

What is even more striking is the importance these Christians give to their Christian faith and the witness they are giving to it. Some of their reactions are quite remarkable. Beshir Kamir went on television after his brother’s murder and said: “Since the Roman era, Christians have been martyrs and we have learned to handle everything that comes our way. This only makes us stronger in our faith, because the Bible told us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us.”

Archbishop Amel Nona, formerly head of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Mosul, Iraq, wrote: “The Christian faith is not an abstract, rational theory, remote from actual, everyday life, but a means of discovering its deepest meaning.”

Pope Francis also talked about these persecuted Christians: “If we get to know these people and their witness – and support them and their efforts – we may even get to know ourselves again, and how we can truly make for great living, in gratitude for the gift of life and liberty.”

The presence of Christian communities in these countries is of great importance. As they live their Christian values so dedicatedly, they are the light on the candle-stick that illuminates the populations surrounding them.

This should bring us to reflect on whether we are making use of their witness to understand the meaning of life and to know ourselves. For hundreds of years we proclaimed Christ, built magnificent churches and cathedrals and developed elaborate liturgies, but have we become truly Christian? Have we imbibed the Gospel values?

In our western world we enjoy religious freedom. However, judging by the ease and frivolity with which we are espousing some highly ambiguous values of our world we cannot but doubt whether we live our faith with conviction. Some of our choices do not seem to be making us great witnesses of the faith.

Beshir Kamel thanked the so-called Islamic State terrorists for not editing out the last words of his brother and the other Egyptian men they beheaded on a beach in Libya. “Lord, Jesus Christ,” were the last words of the Coptic Christians slaughtered because of their faith.

They are words that we say too. Whether for us they have the same meaning, is the question!

Fr Alfred Micallef is a member of the Society of Jesus.

ajsmicallef@gmail.com

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