こんな時こそ、信、望、愛

昨夕の私はヴァチカン放送局の公式HP（英文）を通じて、教皇ベネディクト16世が100,000米ドルを日本の復興のために寄付されたことを知りました。

Charity & Solidarity > 14/03/2011 11.50.46
Pope Benedict sends financial aid to Japan

　At the weekend, Pope Benedict XVI sent a charitable donation of $100,000 U.S. dollars to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan to help victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck the Asian nation last Friday.
　Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo, an official at the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Vatican office responsible for papal donations to charities, told Vatican Radio’s Tracey McClure that they are working closely with the bishops, Caritas Internationalis and other aid organisations to determine how to respond to the greatest needs of Japan’s people.
　Calling it “a major tragedy,” Msgr. Figueiredo cited Japan as the latest in a string of major disasters, including the 2004 tsunami in Asia, a devastating earthquake and flooding in Pakistan and the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti a little more than a year ago.
　“The first thing we must do is really to pray… for these people to give them hope.” He said.
　“Obviously, material, concrete aid is necessary. The Holy Father has sent through this Pontifical Council the sum of one hundred thousand dollars to the (Japanese) Bishops’ Conference simply because this is the quickest way the funds can get to those dioceses most affected. Also the bishops are the first responsible for charity in the diocese and they know the needs of the people.”
　“We are keeping a close monitor on the needs… Often there’s the immediate response which is good. The Holy Father himself asked for this immediate response. But then in time, the tragedy is often forgotten. This is what we experienced in Haiti… so the Church wants to be there not only in the short term but especially in the long term where many of the secular agencies have gone and there’s no one to help.”

http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=469712

記事の中ほどにありますとおり、

“The first thing we must do is really to pray… for these people to give them hope.” He said.

まずは真剣に私たちは祈らなければなりません。被災者の方々に希望が与えられますようにと。
教皇さまのおっしゃるとおりだと思います。
何もない私ですが末端にあれど、後に倣います。

こんなことがあればどうしたってうつむきがちになってしまうけれど、絶望せずに、暗闇の中にひと筋の光を見出せれば必ず希望に誘われると私は信じたいのです。「祈ってる場合ぢゃない！」と怒る方々がいらっしゃるならば、祈る余裕がその方々より１％でもある私が代わります。そして、時間が経てば経つほど、どうしたって弱い私たちは疑いの心を持ち易くなりますから、こんな時こそ「信、望、愛」を私は想起し、意識して行きたいです。


そして、いつか空にかかった虹を共に仰げる日が来たら、と思いつつ、今日も射祷を続けます。

le 15 mars 2011, Louise