Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Vol. 7. No. 17 My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Peace be with you! When the risen Jesus appeared to his disciples, he bestowed on them the gift of his peace. He also reminded them that they are witnesses to the mystery of redemption. As witnesses, they will be called to testify to the truth about the forgiveness of sins, which will be “preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Lk 24:47). I was in Jerusalem for the first time several years ago, and the impressions that I gained there are indelible. I will never forget the sights, sounds and smells of this ancient city, so rich in religious history and culture. It’s amazing to me that Jerusalem was the place where our Church’s evangelizing mission began. It’s an unlikely place in many ways. Jerusalem, which means “city of peace,” has been, and continues to be, anything but a peaceful city. This city has known more than its share of war, religious and racial intolerance, hunger (both physical and spiritual) and inhumanity. But Jerusalem is also a holy city revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims everywhere. There is no lasting peace in Jerusalem today, but the longing for peace is so intense that you can feel it in the air. Jews, Christians, and Muslims who are true to their scriptures and faithful to the best of their traditions share a desire for peace (and, with it, unity) that is almost palpable in Jerusalem, the city of peace. Where can we find peace? How can we ever achieve an authentic and lasting peace that guarantees the end of all violence and hatred, and also includes the recognition that we are all sisters and brothers, members of the one family of God, with equal rights and dignity? Recent popes—John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Francis, and now Leo XIV—have all insisted that peace is only possible through repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Only by letting go of past wrongs (no matter how egregious), and by the recognition of equal rights and responsibilities on all sides, can we ever achieve lasting peace. Only by recognizing that we are brothers and sisters (the indispensable first step), and then by forgiving each other for the sins we have committed against God and one another (the second step), will we ever hope to find peace. Pope Leo XIV emphasizes that true peace is a divine gift fostered in the human heart, demanding an active, courageous commitment to dialogue, justice, and disarmament rather than violence. He teaches that peace is built through daily, concrete actions, rejecting selfishness, and, in his 2026 World Day of Peace message, he urged us to move away from deterrence-based, armed conflict. (See below.) Every family has its hurts and disagreements. Some are serious. Some tear families apart. Only repentance and forgiveness can heal the wounds that divide families, nations and religious, racial, or ethnic groups. Peace is indisputably the work of justice and charity, but, above all, it is the fruit of genuine, heartfelt forgiveness. When the risen Lord appeared to his disciples, he wished them peace. But he also challenged them (and us) to find peace through repentance and the forgiveness of sins—beginning from Jerusalem, the city of peace, to all nations throughout the world. May the God of mercy open our hearts to repentance and the forgiveness of sins this Easter season and always! Sincerely yours in Christ the Redeemer, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R. Archbishop of Newark