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We were singing for Jerusalem as Makassar cathedral was attacked
I always believe Islam is a very peaceful and tolerant religion, as most of its followers have demonstrated. Religious leaders, however, need to redouble their efforts to prevent people from misusing religion to justify their acts of killing.
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E
arly morning on Palm Sunday, the 11-member Daughters of Jerusalem were singing the The Holy City hymn in Arabic — some say it was mixed with Hebrew — while walking down the streets of Jerusalem, where the Al Aqsa Mosque could be seen from afar. The girls also chanted Allahu Akbar (God is Great). Their cheerful faces were in stark contrast to the state of Palestinians who cannot live in their own homeland. The teenagers expressed hope and optimism, no matter what.
Thousands of miles away Princeton Girlchoir performed the song in English in the United States. The two choirs performed in perfect harmony.
It was such an alluring combination of beautiful minds from the young girls. I read an article that described their collaboration as “a powerful act of solidarity from young women in a country [the US], Palestinians usually do not experience as a constructive contributor on the path to peace and justice.”
The video clip was widely circulated on WhatsApp groups. The song is inseparable from the Palm Sunday ritual, which marks the start of Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, Christians observe Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey just five days before His death on the cross. Welcoming followers spread palm branches, a symbol of victory, on the road and called Him Hosanna (Savior), just a few days before the Jews were to demand that He be crucified.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Lift up your gates and sing
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna to your King!”
I always feel very religious when Holy Week arrives, although I rarely make a confession unless I am sure the priest who will accept my confession of sins does not know me personally.
This will be the second year running I cannot go to church for Holy Week, because of the pandemic. I had to follow the Palm Sunday mass online, my age being an obstacle to my worshiping my God.
When the joint choir’s performance was played, my wife opened an old collection of pictures of our pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 2005. So we still could sense the city’s spiritual atmosphere, including the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which appear prominently in the video clip.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Hark! How the Angels sing
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna to your King!”
We were singing the refrain when my mobile phone rang. “Terrorists have bombed Makassar cathedral,” a journalist colleague told me over the phone. “Where were the police?” I responded, but my friend had hung up his phone.
It has been standard operating procedure for the National Police to guard churches during Holy Week and Christmas. But as far as we could learn from video footage of the attack, the police were not present. Probably, the police were too preoccupied by their responsibility to make sure people comply with the COVID-19 protocols. Or perhaps they thought only a few people would go to church, they took it for granted that everything was safe.
Two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the cathedral as the congregants finished their Palm Sunday service. Police identified one of the perpetrators as a follower of a terrorist group in the region. At least 20 people were wounded, including a security guard who tried to prevent the suspected terrorists from entering the church compound.
As usual, every time terrorists attack churches, or other places like police offices, religious and political leaders raced to condemn the barbaric acts, with a hope that their faces would appear on TV or on social media. In their statements they urged the police to bring the perpetrators of the evil act to justice.
Those who do not like the government or are simply critical of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will take advantage of the misery to blame him for his government’s failure to protect his people. As if this would not have happened had Jokowi not been the president.
Jokowi condemned the cathedral attack and promised to make sure Christians can observe Holy Week in peace and safely.
Many, including Jokowi, have asked the public not to link the terrorist attack with religion, in this case Islam, saying Islam is a religion of peace. But the facts show the pattern of terrorist attacks in the country is consistent.
I always believe Islam is a very peaceful and tolerant religion, as most of its followers have demonstrated. Religious leaders, however, need to redouble their efforts to prevent people from misusing religion to justify their acts of killing.
After the cathedral attack, should Christians and Catholics cancel their Holy Week processions for fear the terrorists may launch new attacks? Not at all. As God has told us, be not afraid. To me that is the most perfect safety guarantee.
Maundy Thursday, the celebration of the Last Supper, is coming very soon. We remember how Jesus introduced the Eucharist, and washed the feet of his disciples, including Judas Iscariot, the traitor who was to hand over Jesus to Jewish priests a few hours later. Good Friday is the commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus and His death on Calvary. It is followed by the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening before Easter Sunday, when, Christians believe, Jesus was resurrected from death.
I will cheerfully look forward to the celebration of faith, whether people dismiss it as just a tale or myth.
“Jerusalem! Jerusalem
Sing for the night is o’er
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna for evermore!”
***
Senior editor at The Jakarta Post
