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Jaro Archbishop Lazo tells faithful: Find peace in your hearts

Philippines | Luzon

Jaro Archbishop Lazo tells faithful: Find peace in your hearts

By Tara Yap

ILOILO CITY – Catholics in Iloilo and Guimaras were urged to find peace in their hearts and express solidarity with the children of Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war this Christmas.

ARCHBISHOP Jose Romeo Lazo (center) leads the Christmas Day Mass at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral in Iloilo City. (Archdiocese of Jaro, Commission on Social Communication)

“This Christmas, may we find the meaning in the rubble of our hearts as the God who loves and the compassionate and joyful Jesus,” said Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo of the Archdiocese of Jaro in his message during the Christmas Day Mass.

Lazo cited the war between Israel and terrorist group Hamas in the context of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in Palestine, where Jesus was born.

“In solidarity with people in Gaza, where children die because of the war, what is the condition of our hearts?” Lazo said.

He wondered if the hearts of the lay faithful are lonely, afraid, sad, chaotic, angry, wailing, tired, in pain, or lost.

“Are we open to welcome Jesus in the manger of our hearts?” he said. “In Bethlehem, the manger is in the rubble. We have to find our hearts amidst the rubble,” Lazo added.

Related Tags

Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo Iloilo City Gaza Christmas Day Israel-Hamas war

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