The threat of war with Iran was already looming when I flew to Tel Aviv on January 31. Was I going to be able to return? I couldn't count on it too much. My first night at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute allowed me to see the team again from Tantur. Many young people have bright memories of the beauty of the place and where the first welcome took place during our meeting in the Holy Land in May 2022. The wall that separates Israel from Palestine is only a few hundred meters away. The the next day, I took the pedestrian crossing to arrive at Bethlehem. The brothers of Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle who run the University warmly welcomed me during my ten days in the city where Jesus was born. And what joy to see the young people from the University who had experienced Holy Week 2025 in Taizé with their Jesuit chaplain.They remember with emotion having carried the cross to Taizé on Good Friday and again the icon of the Resurrection on the morning of Easter. For some time now, they have been leading a monthly prayer with the songs of Taizé. Our prayer together in the university Chapel was a highlight and for them one way to share with others what they have discovered. You just had to look at their faces to understand how much this sharing touched their hearts. 

The university chaplaincy is a place of life. Everyone feels welcomed there whatever their religion. Father Garrett, the chaplain, organized a sharing on the Gospel of the day and I was struck by the confidence with which everyone spoke to comment on the text. Wandering around campus, I wondered how these young people are able to remain so joyful. A lot come from regions where tensions are extreme. They live on almost daily humiliations. Where does their resilience come from? I remembered a remark from a friend living in Bethlehem. She wanted me to understand the meaning of the Arabic word "sumud". It is sometimes translated as "perseverance", "tenacity  ". But this friend believes that the word is linked to a deep wisdom: no one will be asked for permission to rejoice.

A few days after our prayer at the university, the Tantur Institute launched an invitation open to all to participate in a prayer with the songs of Taizé in the chapel of the Institute. Having to choose a Bible reading and thinking about it in the current context, this text from Isaiah came to mind:

“Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"?  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;  but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:27-31).”

The text was read in English, then in Arabic by a Palestinian Christian, then in Hebrew by one of the three rabbis present, then in a few other languages. Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christians took part. Weariness being great for everyone; we all needed to hear such a text.

I was also able to visit the new Lutheran pastor in Bethlehem, who knows Taizé well. We hope to prepare a prayer together on my next visit. It's also the parish of Daoud and Jihane Nasser. They persevere tirelessly in their project of the "Tent of Nations". Their project, on their land surrounded by colonies, arouses admiration because it shows a very clear way to move forward: believing that there is a place for all, relentlessly seeking justice but without ever giving in to hatred. Their visit to Taizé in last autumn was very appreciated. But I was unable to see them this time because during my stay in Bethlehem they were in the Netherlands. It will be for next time.

Two other prayers took place: one in a village near Ramallah where I have already been many times. It is the village of two young Palestinian girls who spent the summer of 2024 in Taizé. The relationship with these young people grows deeper. They hope to be able to come as a group soon.

The last prayer took place in Nazareth, in the chapel where Saint Charles de Foucauld prayed during the years he was trying to discern his call. The guitar and flute were played by the now teenage children of Nain. This father of a family from Nazareth came to Taizé about thirty years ago. He, his mother, her two brothers, her sister and her husband and their children are like a big family. The Little Brothers of Jesus prayed with us. This is the place where they have been living for a long time. Then some young people from Nazareth, as well as Brazilians who participate in the animation of the Basilica of the Annunciation, joined us.

The next day I had to hit the road after breakfast. It took me to Beth Shean Passage and three hours later I was in Amman, welcomed by a Franciscan from Syria, the director from a school in the capital of Jordan. The warm welcome from the Latin Catholic bishop and the priest in charge of youth ministry helped us to imagine joint projects. A group trip to Taizé was mentioned. An evening prayer with the songs of Taizé took place during my visit. Talented musicians made it beautiful. We had a good sharing with the young people after the prayer. I also had good conversations with an Anglican priest and a pastor of the Lutheran Church. Ideas for collaboration arose immediately. In Madaba, a city which has a living Christian community, the welcome by the priest and his vicar was also warm.

Let us pray for all those who work for peace in this part of the world, which is undergoing a difficult trial these days.