Ccjpz Bulletin 2013

By Right Rev. Bishop Alex Muchabaiwa, CCJPZ Bishop Chairman

he function of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) is to influence men's minds by the teaching of Our Divine Lord

- that they shall learn to live together peacefully as members of one human family bound together in the solidarity of creation and redemption. The conscious acknowledgement of such brotherhood enables us to say with real meaning, Our Father, and alone will enable us to face the future together, with confidence and with clear conscience. Our Divine Lord challenges us to imitate His own example of love, yet few of more than 80% of Christians in Zimbabwe have had the faith and courage to 'love one another as we love ourselves'. This needs emphasis. According to our Christian faith, all principles of division, all national and cultural particularities, all social, political and religious differentiations are meant to be subordinated to the overall unity achieved by Christ. You are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians. 5:36.

It is only by the personal and practical recognition of the dignity of the individual, no matter what his origin or degree of social development, that civilisation can truly be defended.

T

Peaceful Zimbabwe'Let us do our best to create a .....and God will do the rest.'

Peaceful Zimbabwe

Right Rev. Bishop Alex Muchabaiwa, CCJPZ Bishop Chairman

CCJPZCCJPZCATHOLIC COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE & PEACE IN ZIMBABWE

BULLETINBULLETINBULLETIN2013

Without such recognition, society degenerates into the blind brutality of mob law or the secret savagery of the police state, where no one can trust his neighbour, where men are reduced to fearful silence or speak only in riddles, where freedom of expression is shackled, the privacy of communication destroyed, and doubt and suspicion creep into the very family circle itself. But, CCJPZ will not stand still when disposition of God for Humankind is despised! This bulletin is being produced at a special time in Zimbabwe where there is evidence that if we work hard, we can build bridges and things will improve. Violence is very bad. If it is not controlled, it can degenerate into civil war and things can be terrible. What is inspiring, particularly in the Government of National Unity is that people are talking to each other. No one ever imagined that Movement for Democratic Change and Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front will one day work together. If the spirit of togetherness is promoted, we wil l bui ld a p e a c e f u l Zimbabwe. Recently, I a t t e n d e d a m e e t i n g o n C h i l d Trafficking in Mozambique. I could not believe what I heard. There are groups of people and individuals facilitating the movement of young girls out of the country. When they are smuggled out, their passports are confiscated and they are forced into prostitution. I believed this when I visited a place in South Africa where young women were kept. I discovered that a lot of young

women at that place had babies on their backs, but all of them were blind. But the blindness is not natural. It is induced blindness so that the young women become powerless in their lives and will not be able to identify their captors. Imagine these young girls are now blind because they ran way from violence in Zimbabwe. Think of breakdown of family life a wife in England and a husband in Zimbabwe just because we are failing to rule ourselves! Just because we are fighting, or even killing one another for supporting different political parties! Why are we not at peace? God knows, but we are partly responsible. However, we want to thank SADC which is helping peace processes by insisting for a new constitution and election road map. It is interesting that even people in the Diaspora have given a new name for Zimbabwe. In South Africa, President Zuma's advisors gave us a lot of hope. They said Zimbabweans are educated and hardworking and if there is peace in Zimbabwe, we will use the country to

i m p r o v e t h e whole of Africa. This shows it is not us alone who are concerned a b o u t o u r situation. By utilizing

Pastoral Statements produced by Catholic Church leadership over years, and information on 'current situation' gathered by CCJPZ from Zimbabwe's eight Catholic Dioceses, this bulletin illustrates CCJPZ's concern for a peaceful Zimbabwe, especially before and after electoral processes. It is not targeted at individuals, groups or institutions. It targets our challenge d peace!

........Violence is very bad. If it is not controlled, it can degenerate into civil war and things can be terrible........

CCJPZ BULLETIN. Issue 01. 2013

to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe. The intention is to advise Zimbabweans to respect peace. CCJPZ is not partisan, but a 'Father' with 'Sons' and 'Daughters' fighting for different reasons. Despite their differences, there are all God's Children. We need a Church approach to handle the situation in a non-partisan manner. In the past, in this moment, and even in future, the CCJPZ has been, and will remain non-partisan. As this bulletin illustrates, let us work with all and influence

all for the benefit of all. Let us do our best and God will do the rest. But in all our work, let us not forget to pray. South Sudan prayed for hundred days and it got its independence. As Zimbabweans, we should pray hard enough for justice and peace!

CCJPZ's work is based on Social Teachings of the Church (STC). STC sheds the light of

CCJPZ's Wisdom and Insights

CCJPZs Wisdom and Insights

the gospel on issues that affect our lives, and offers us wisdom, insight and experience in dealing with them. The teachings are based on scripture developed from Church documents. Reflection on the six principles below should concern all members of society, for a whole nation has suffered, and may continue to suffer because of different actions, practices and policies that undermine gospel values. As Christians, we

cannot pick and choose which principles to follow; all of them are binding. Putting them into practice in daily life is as important as going to Church:

There is no distinction between defending human life and promoting the dignity of the

Human Life and the Human Dignity:

CCJPZ's work is based on Social

Teachings of the Church (STC).

STC sheds the light of the gospel on issues that affect

our lives, and offers us wisdom, insight and experience in dealing with them.


human person. Created in the image and likeness of God, (Genesis.1:26-27) each person has an innate human dignity, given to us, not by secular authorities, but by the Creator himself. As a gift from God, every human life is sacred from conception to natural death.The life and dignity of every person must be respected and protected at every stage and in every condition. The right

to life is the first and most fundamental principle of human rights that leads CCJPZ to actively work for a world of greater respect for human life and commitment to justice and peace. Whilst not promoting crime, killing people after finding them guilty of certain crimes is a disrespect of God's gift of life. In Zimbabwe, it has become common for some of our brothers and sisters to destroy lives and livelihoods especially before and after elections. Are politics and political parties more important than human life and dignity? Every violation of the personal dignity and life of the human being cries out for vengeance to God and is an offence against the Creator of the individual. (Christifideles Laici, 37 - Pope John Paul 11)

The Basic Rights of the Human Person:

Promotion of the Common Good:

Basic human rights are an offshoot of our God-given dignity. Every human being - man, woman and child - has the right to life, shelter, clothing, food, education, health care, employment, etc. These basic rights have been and are being violated. Some communities and suburbs in urban areas, for example, have survived for years, weeks or days without water, one of the most fundamental basic need. Water does not have a substitution and its unavailability affects other fundamental rights such as right to food, hygiene (health care), etc. Citizens also have political rights to choose political parties or leaders of their choice. Forcing people to attend political meetings or to vote for leaders that they do not want is a violation of their rights. No secular authority, no group, or individual should be allowed to violate the basic rights of the human person. As a Faith Based Organization, CCJPZ reminds authorities of both their duty to respect and uphold human rights, and of the serious consequences of failure to observe such rights.

Public authorities should promote the common good of all members of society - not the good of an elite group - by creating an environment in which economic, social, cultural and political life can flourish. When the common good is promoted, all citizens - including those who have lost their homes, livelihoods and political independence- can have access to the goods of the earth (including minerals such as diamonds, coal, water, tungsten, timber etc) which are intended by God to be equally shared. Zimbabwe is endowed with mineral resources which can help us to improve our

...Every violation of the personal dignity and

life of the human being cries out for vengeance

to God and is an offence against the

Creator of the individual.....

CCJPZ BULLETIN .Issue 01. 2013

View of the mighty Zambezi waters! But how many poor people access the water?

lives. But only a few have benefited. In some areas, job seekers have been asked to work for some hours at traditional leaders residents in order to be considered for employment at a local mine. Some may be asked to pay in cash, others in material (usually in the form of a beast in rural areas) whilst girls may be asked for sexual favors in order to get jobs at local mine. Transparency and accountability of what we are getting from our minerals has not been clear to most of us.But promotion of the common good should be the first priority of public policy, not the promotion of party political aims."It is the proper function of authority to arbitrate, in the name of the common good, between various particular interests; but it should make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to

establish a family, and so on. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1992, par. 1909). In the order of things, people always come first and cannot be subservient to an economy, a political agenda or an ideology for that matter. In its final message, the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops noted that Africa is rich in human and natural resources but 'many of our people are still left to wallow in poverty and misery, wars and conflicts, crisis and chaos. These are very rarely caused by natural disasters. They are largely due to human decisions and activities by people who have no regard for the common good.

In the application of the principle of the common good, some people remain poor and marginalized whilst others have become extraordinarily rich. The Church must show

Option for the Poor:

CCJPZ BULLETIN.Issue 01. 2013

particular concern for the poor. The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. As Christians, we must continue to examine public policy decisions, including policies related to housing, health care and food security, in terms of how they affect the poor and bow our heads in shame at the nation-wide operation and electoral violence that has greatly increased poverty and destitution in all areas. The interference with informal trading, which supports formal trading, can only accelerate our economic decline. The option for the poor, most of whom are informal traders, is an essential part of society's effort to achieve the common good of all its members. To the Church, the poor are a treasure. St. Laurence, in Butler, Lives of the Saints, 10

Laurence, in Butler, Lives of the Saints, 10 August

The principle of subsidiarity refers to passing powers downward from the top to the grassroots or as close to the grassroots as possible. The principle implies a preference for local over central decision making. Central authority should devolve its power to support local authority efforts and only undertake those tasks which local bodies cannot achieve. If there is a 'clean-up' required on our streets or if there is a problem of criminality in the townships, it is essentially the task of local authorities - including community/residents associations and church bodies - supported by the police

and the courts, to deal with these problems. This should take place in an ordered process over a period of time, and in a way that

promotes and preserves human dignity, people's rights and the common good.

As sons and daughters of our loving Father, we are all sisters and brothers who are called by God to build a society where we can live together in solidarity with each other. Solidarity means

being ready to see the other person as another "self" and to

regard acts of injustice done to others as done to oneself. Solidarity is not a passing feeling of distress at the suffering of others. Rather, it is a commitment to stand side-by-dy of Christ: where one person

Subsidiarity:

Solidarity:

The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.


side with those who are without shelter and means of livelihood, to do what one can do to rectify a situation of grave injustice, and to promote the common good. The principle of solidarity reflects St. Paul's theology of the body of Christ: where one person suffers, each person suffers and the whole body is weakened. (1 Cor 12:12-30). (Adapted from Let Us Work for the Common Good: Let Us Save Our Nation: A Pastoral Letter of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference: 14 January 2011and The Cry of the Poor: Pastoral Letter of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference June 2005)

he Catholic Church in general and CCJPZ in particular have no intention of intruding into the field of T

party politics. It is therefore safe to say that all citizens have full liberty to prefer one form of government to another, or one political party to another, provided these are not contrary to the rule of right reason or to the maxims of Christian teaching. We appeal, therefore, to all Zimbabweans to be

Citizens' Political Choices: Plea for Peace

united in a spirit of charity devoid of recrimination, and to try to resolve their differences with realism, understanding and unselfishness. However difficult the prospect of success in such an effort, CCJPZ is convinced that it is still possible to achieve it, and that by united and genuine determination to build up a truly Christian order of society in this country, the

.......It is therefore safe to say that all citizens have full liberty to prefer one form of government to another, or one political party to another......

...the principle of solidarity reflects St.

Paul's theology of the body of Christ: where

one person suffers, each person suffers and the

whole body is weakened...


gift of peace will be possible for all of us, as well as the prosperity which flows from it. To prevent the further growth of bitterness ahead of electoral processes and to prepare the way for understanding, we must presume good faith even in those with whom we profoundly disagree. Whilst we may attempt to form their consciences to what we believe to be right, we must nevertheless respect the political choices and freedom of the individual conscience and look on it as sacrosanct.

With the same authority, and as we move towards electoral processes, CCJPZ discourages all use of violence and encourage all Zimbabweans to abstain from it, no matter how serious the provocation. We encourage the responsible authorities to prosecute wrong doers and widely publicize any disciplinary action so that no one is seen to commit crime with impunity. Political leaders should desist from intimidating and mistreating members of the public, the media, civic communities the poor and the marginalised in the rural areas. Uniformed forces should not intimidate, but should maintain peace and security for all citizens at all times and especially before, during and after elections, and do so impartially. The mission of CCJPZ is the mission of Our Lord

Himsel f , a miss ion of peace , of reconciliation. How can we possibly profess to be followers of Christ if we do not try to respect one another and care for one another? Our Lord's words are quite unmistakable on this point. They are both a warning and a programme of action: The mark by which all men will know you for my disciples will be the love you bear one another. (John 14:35)

The great problem of electoral violence can also be solved if we make a united and serious effort to try to be Christian in deeds and not in name only. Electoral periods are momentous times in the history of Zimbabwe. Grave provocations have been given to many people and their emotions and wounds have not healed. They must be given hope! Their legitimate grievances must be examined fairly and with genuine desire to remove them. CCJPZ begs all to make a new effort to accept the challenge which the Gospel of Our Divine Lord presents to us; to take His words seriously; to try to understand one another; to respect one another, and in a spirit of sorrow for past neglect. ( Adapted from Pastoral Instruction of the Catholic Bishops of Rhodesia - First Sunday of Advent, 28th November, 1965)

...The great problem of electoral violence can

also be solved if we make a united and

serious effort to try to be in deeds

and not in name only...Christian


Peace Be With You.

The way elections have been conducted in our country since 2000 has been controversial and m a r k e d b y s e r i o u s violence. It is not our intention to dwell on the past but to focus on the i m m i n e n t e l e c t o r a l processes and the hope they offer for peace.

An Election is not an event confined to a window period of registration of candidates, days of balloting and counting the votes. An election is rather a process which takes place over a considerable period of time. This process embraces the social, political and economic climate in which the technicalities of electing political leaders take place. This climate exercises a major influence on how the voting population decides who will represent them. An electoral process that aspires to be technically free and fair must be based on a moral integrity that alone makes freedom and fairness a reality. Without such moral integrity, an electoral process will lack authenticity and credibility, becoming a source of violence and controversy.

The Church is political, but not partisan. Christians may belong to various parties but the Church as such does not align itself with any single party. In fact, the Church looks beyond the parties and derives its ethos from

the eternal Kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, truth, justice, freedom and peace. What we shall be in the hereafter is what the Church seeks to prepare humanity for in the present by building the foundations here on earth of the Eternal Kingdom.

Individual Christians can make their own decisions

as to which party comes closest to the Christian ethos and their

aspirations in this life and vote accordingly. CCJPZ respects each individual decision and this reality is evident in all congregations composed of members belonging to all existing parties. While the institutional Church must not get involved in party politics, this does not apply to individual Christians. They have a right to join a particular party of their choice and to promote its policies and activities (campaigning, recruitment of new members, fund raising, etc.) Within that political party however, they must act as salt and light. There must be a firm commitment to justice and solidarity by each member of the people of God. Catholic professionals and teachers, businessmen and civil servants, lawyers and politicians are especially expected to bear witness to goodness, truth, justice and love of God in their daily lives. (Church in Africa, nos. 105 and 108)

A Credible for . ...Electoral Process ....... Peace, Responsible & Accountable Leadership


As we head towards general elections, CCJPZ would like to remind Zimbabweans of the importance of credible electoral processes. CCJPZ is very much concerned about the atmosphere that prevails before, during and after elections. A peaceful atmosphere should prevail throughout.

The period before elections is as important as the period during and after elections. All campaigns done by all political parties should be done peacefully. Political parties should be free to campaign. This is important because it helps voters to judge which political party will best serve their interests. People should, therefore, be free to attend political party meetings of their choice. It is not a crime to belong to any political party. On the contrary, it is actually healthy to be citizens that hold various political opinions. We call for tolerance among members of different parties. Tolerance, a condition for peaceCoercion and harassment of political opponents and prohibition of political meetings are incompatible with democracy. The violence and intimidation that have been witnessed in the past dishonour our democratic status as a nation. Violence and intimidation breeds fear and tension in the citizens. No free will can be exercised under fear. As a result the elections may not be free and fair. CCJPZ therefore, call upon all contesting parties to be non-violent during the campaign period.

Before Elections

Political parties that contest in the forth-coming elections should have equal access to State resources. This can be in the form of media coverage, financial subsidies, etc. People have a right to be fully informed before they make their political choices.

......Political parties should be free to campaign. This is important because it helps voters to judge which political party will best serve their interests.....

ELECTIONSELECTIONSCCJPZ BULLETIN.Issue 01. 2013

As CCJPZ, we are not there to tell people hich political party or candidate to vote for. People choose their leaders on their own. But we encourage citizens to choose leaders with good leadership qualities. Most of the voters are deceived by sweet-tongued politicians whose true colours only come out when they come into power. Such leaders tend to forget people who voted them into power as they chase after their own personal interests. The period before elections should be a period when citizens closely examine the candidates, behaviour and policies of contesting political parties. Voters should

wlook for leaders with the following qualities:

A good candidate is willing to serve. In the cabinet, we have ministers for various ministries. To minister is to serve. A minister is a servant - a servant of the people. A good candidate is not selfish. He or she has the people who elected him or her at heart. The interest of the people come first before his own personal interest. Others are selfish. They don't serve. They appear only during election time when they solicit votes and never come back to the constituencies to give feedback or to plan with the people who

Service

....it is actually healthy to be citizens that hold various political opinions. We call for tolerance among members of different parties....

Who to Vote for: .....Qualities of the Candidates


Page 12

elected them to power. Jesus said, he who wants to be great among you must be your servant. (Mark 10:43). Examine whether the candidate or party you want to vote for is interested in your needs as a community. Does the candidate or party accept different ideas? Is the candidate or party only after power for the sake of power or for the sake of service? The assessment and decision is up to the voter. Those who will be leaders should use persuasion not force.

Does your candidate have a sense of responsibility? A responsible leader sets goals and makes a follow-up in order to see that those goals are fulfilled. A lot of promises for the communities are made during political campaigns. However, irresponsible leaders do not usually care about fulfilling promises they make to the people.

An accountable candidate is ready to explain to the people the motives of his or her directions and performance. He or she has no problems with being transparent when it comes to handling public funds. Zimbabwe has a lot of God-given natural resources, but questions have been raised on their governance. Similarly, Members of Parliament were given Community Development Funds in 2011, but again, there were questions on accountabili ty, transparency and involvement of the communities or voters over their use. Lack of accountability and transparency has seen

Responsibility

Accountability

our country land into the deep pit of corruption. A government that is only accountable to itself cannot be democratic.

A good candidate is truthful. A good leader does not necessarily need to be perfect. A leader who admits failure wins respect among the people because he admits the truth. People value honesty and truthfulness. It is important for Zimbabweans to go for a candidate who considers truth to be of value. Such a person can impart this value to the whole of our society.

This is a fundamental quality that a leader should have. A good leader should have respect for human dignity. All human rights such as right to life, decent accommodation, freedom of worship etc. are based on the need for respect and promotion of the human dignity. A candidate or (political) parties that subject citizens to abusive treatment like torture, killings, abusive language, threatens people with torture if they don't vote for them cannot be good leaders. Such leaders create perennial fear in the citizens. Good candidates or political parties treat all citizens with respect and would want to offer all citizens equal opportunities as much as possible. Jesus speaks to us all, So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the law and the prophets. (Mathew 7:12)

Truthfulness

Respect for human Dignity

A candidates or (political) parties that subject citizens to abusive treatment like torture, killings, abusive language, threatens people with torture if they don't vote for them cannot be good leaders.


The temptations of Jesus in the desert can help us discover the various ways in which leaders are tempted to betray, and even fight the people they are asked to lead. (Mathew. 4:1-11)

In times of such temptations, a good leader will always follow the example of Jesus Christ. (Matthew. 4:1-11)

The first temptation is that of the politics of the stomach: food. If you are a true Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves of bread. Jesus is tempted to be self serving and to win people through bribery providing free food miraculously. He discards the idea that people follow him simply for the fact that he gives them material things. Leaders can also be tempted to use material things such as food, seed, and even cash in order to woo people to vote for them. Material things have been used by some leaders to divide communities and therefore cause violence. Good leadership discards bribery and blackmail.The second temptation is that of 'relinquishing responsibility'. If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for scripture says: He has given his angels orders about you and they will carry you in their arms in case you trip over a stone.

(Mathew.4:6) Satan wanted Jesus to act irresponsibly out of presumption. Leaders can be tempted to adopt an 'I-don't-care attitude' especially of the people who do not support their political parties. Leaders should always act responsibly and then ask God to complement what is beyond their reach. Good leaders do not make decisions that thwart the welfare of the communities they lead and then expect God to intervene and save the community from the consequences they would have willingly precipitated. Good leadership entails acting responsibly and impartially. Responsible leadership does not put the Lord God to the test!

The third temptation is that of adopting evil means to acquire a perceived good end. I will give you all these, if you fall at my feet and do me homage. (Matthew. 4:9) Leaders are often tempted to use evil means to realise their objectives. Some leaders reach the extent of attacking, torturing and eliminating those who stand the chance of depriving them of power. Some are tempted to rig elections. Some are tempted to threaten or to force people to vote for them. Employing such evil means to attain power goes against Christian principles. Good leadership is Christlike. The Lord your God is the one to whom you must do homage, him alone you must serve. (Matthew. 4:10) Responsible leaders are God-fearing. They know that good

Jesus: A good, resilient LeaderJesus: A good, resilient Leader

Page 13

leadership is from God and is all about taking care of God's people.

Every situation is an opportunity to observe and realize God's intention for us who says in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. (Matthew 22: 37-39) Let this electoral period help us grow in the love of God and neighbour. As a nation, we are confident we can fulfill this commandment in all its demands including justice and charity. May God bless you all the days of your life! (Pastoral Statement of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference - August 2004)

The vast and complicated problem of social harmony, especially in the electoral period, is not simply one of social adjustment but of social justice. It is essentially a moral problem, a problem of right and wrong. When fundamental human rights are denied to any people, simply because they support a political party of their choice, a grievous wrong is perpetrated. Human dignity is based on the respect which God has for his being; and his rights, arising solely from his relationship to his Creator, are anterior to and superior to all human legislation.

Though many fail to see it, the doctrine of political superiority as taught and practised by some individuals or groups in this country, differs little in essence from that of the Nazis whom Pope Pius XI sternly rebuked in these words: As God's sun shines on all that bear human countenance, so does

The Moral Problem

His law know no privileges or exceptions Only superficial minds can make the mad attempt of trying to confine within the boundaries of a single people, within the narrow bloodstream of a single race, God the Creator of the world. (Mit brennender Sorge 1937)

That people of one section of society should be denied political choice and participation is no justification to deprive them, of the opportunity to access the same facilities that are offered to others. Food, for example, is a fundamental human right, but others who are walloping in hunger may be denied just because they are capable of making independent political choices. Similarly, poor farmers who might be in need of inputs may also be denied because they support particular political parties. Human dignity and human worthiness is not measured by political affiliations. Members of all political affiliations are equally citizens of the State and must not be deprived of their social, economic and political rights and responsibilities, simply because of their political orientations. (Evangelii Praecones, 2nd June, 1951)

......Members of all political affiliations

are equally citizens of the State and must not be deprived of

their social, economic and political rights....

Page 14


he Bible has much to say about situations of confrontation. The conflict between the oppressor and T

the oppressed is a central theme throughout the Old and New Testaments. Biblical scholars have discovered that there are no less than twenty different root words in Hebrew to describe oppression.

One example is the Creed of the chosen people, which we read on the First Sunday of Lent: My Father was a homeless Aramaean. He went down to Egypt to find refuge there, few in numbers; but there he became a nation, great, mighty and strong. The Egyptians ill-treated us, they gave us no peace and inflicted harsh slavery on us. But we called on the Lord, the God of our fathers. The Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, our toil and our oppression; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders(Deuteronomy 26:5b-8)

The Bible describes oppression in concrete and vivid terms: Oppression is the . The God of the Bible is always on the side of the

experience of being crushed, degraded, humiliated, exploited, impoverished, defrauded, deceived and enslaved. And the oppressors are described as cruel, ruthless, arrogant, greedy, violent and tyrannical; they are called 'the enemy'. Such words could only have been used by people who in their own lives and history had an immediate and

personal experience of being oppressed. To them Yahweh revealed himself as the God of compassion who hears the cry of the oppressed and who liberates them from their oppressors. The God of the Bible is

always on the side of the oppressed. He does not reconcile Moses and Pharaoh,

or the Hebrew slaves with their Egyptian oppressors. Oppression is sin and cannot be compromised with. It must be overcome. God takes sides with the oppressed. As we read in Psalm 103:6: God who does what is right, is always on the side of the oppressed.

When confronted with the politically powerful, Jesus speaks the language of the boldest among Israel's prophets. He calls Herod 'that fox'. (Luke 13:32) and

Message of Hope: God is always on the Side of the Oppressed

....The Bible has much to say about situations of confrontation. The conflict between the oppressor and the oppressed is a central theme throughout the Old and New Testaments...

Page 15

CCJPZ BULLETIN . Issue 01. 2013

courageously exposes the greed for money, power and adulation of the political elite. And he warns his disciples never to do likewise: Among the gentiles it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor. With you this must not happen. No, the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves (Luke 22:25-27) . And he warns Pilate in no uncertain terms that he will be held to account by God for his use of power over life and death. (John 19:11)

Throughout the history of the Church, persecuted Christians have remembered,

.....God is on your side. He always hears

the cry of the poor and oppressed and saves them: I am with you always, to

the close of the age....

prayed and sung the prophetic words of Mary: [The Lord] has used the power of his arm, he has routed the arrogant of heart. He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly. He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty. ( Luke 1:50-53)

Generations of Zimbabweans, too, throughout their own long history of oppression and their struggle for liberation, have remembered, prayed and sung these texts from the Old and New Testaments and found strength, courage and perseverance in their faith that Jesus is on their side. That is the message of hope we want to convey: God is on your side. He always hears the cry of the poor and oppressed and saves them: I am with you always, to the close of the age. (Mathew 28:20)

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A CCJPZ Publication, 2013. For more information, comment & inputs visit http:// www.zcbc.co.zw/ccjp.htmlCCJPZ Blog: catholiccomforjusticeandpeaceinzimbabwe

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