By fr. Francesco D. Colacelli

“You are called to serve not only as a beacon of faith to the universal Church, but also as a leaven of harmony, wisdom and equilibrium in the life of a society which has traditionally been, and continues to be, pluralistic, multiethnic and multireligious.”

These were Pope Benedict XVI’s  words pronounced in his homily given in Jerusalem, during his much awaited apostolic visit to the homeland of Jesus. Words that he addressed to the faithful of the Holy land, but which all of us must feel directed to ourselves also.

If it is true, to be sure,  that the Middle East has a consolidated tradition of living together, in a  more or less  peaceful way,  between different  ethnic communities, cultures and religions, and Christians are called to live in “harmony, wisdom and equilibrium” this is also so for the whole world to assure our living in  “harmonious coexistence.”

 Leaving aside the political interpretations given to the Holy Father’s  words by the   secular media, always ready to underline what divides rather than what unites, if one reads the complete text of the Pope’s homily, we discover that he  explains to the Christian community of...