28.10.2025

Dublin and Glendalough Good Wishes Brought to Jerusalem Diocesan Majma

The Archbishop of Dublin brought the prayerful good wishes of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough to the Majma (Synod) of its partner Diocese of Jerusalem today (Tuesday October 28). The Majma is taking place in Amman and gathers people from the five countries which make up the Diocese of Jerusalem – Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Archbishop Michael Jackson addressed members this morning expressing the appreciation of Dublin and Glendalough for the partnership, solidarity and the bond of friendship between the two Anglican dioceses.

He noted that the desire of the people of the Diocese of Jerusalem to express the love of God has been sorely hindered and cruelly impeded by forces beyond their control over the past two years but they continued to ‘abide’.

“The spirit of resilient faithfulness of this diocese is encapsulated in the word: abide [St John 1] because this is what God does, and this is what you do. We might also call it: presence. God does not abandon God’s people, and you do not abandon God or any of God’s people by virtue of your continuing presence here. You abide …,” the Archbishop said.

He added that we weep along with the rest of the world and marvel at the resilience and presence of the people of the Diocese of Jerusalem. He pledged that the people of the dioceses are ready to help practically when we learn from the Diocese of Jerusalem that the time is right.

You can read Archbishop Jackson’s address below. 

Short Address to the Majma of the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East 2025

The Most Reverend Dr Michael Jackson, archbishop of Dublin and bishop of Glendalough, Ireland

St John 1.23: John the Baptist answered in the words of the prophet Isaiah: I am a voice crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way for the Lord …

Last year we heard of the resilience of this diocese – which inspires millions of Christians and Anglicans worldwide – from Archbishop Hosam. This year it cannot be otherwise than that the voice of John the Baptist rings out like a clanging anvil in our hearts and in our heads. I bring you the prayerful good wishes of The United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, appreciative as we are of our partnership of solidarity and our bond of friendship with one another.

It is my privilege once again to join you on this historic occasion. This year I am accompanied by the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Dean Dermot Dunne, at The Majma. We meet around the time of the Feast of St John the Baptist which mirrors the Feast of Jesus Christ (commonly called Christmas) six months earlier or six months later, depending on your perspective, because we are at the half–way point of the calendar year. Taken together, these two Festivals express the triumph of Christianity over the forces of excessive darkness and the forces of excessive light. Both excessive light and excessive darkness are almost impossible to endure. Taken together, they point us to the public proclamation of the triumph of the God whom we know and worship and who loves us. This is the triumph over the spiritual powers that impede our witness and our engagement with the world. This desire to express the love of God on the part of the people of this diocese has been sorely hindered and cruelly impeded by forces beyond your control over the past two years in a sustained and particular way. Iconically, we are aware of this regarding The Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza but we know that it relates to all other hospitals in that area and also across the West Bank. And yet you continue to abide …

St John’s Gospel makes much of the word: abide. St John chapter 1 speaks of two disciples of John spending the day with Jesus where Jesus was staying or abiding. Not only does this provide a seamless continuity between the mission of John and the mission of Jesus. It embeds in our understanding of faith and practice a pivotal word in the message of St John to the world for all time and points to a pivotal concept in the self–understanding of this truly remarkable diocese: Come and see, Jesus replied. So, they went to where he was abiding and spent the rest of the day with him … (St John 1.39). The spirit of resilient faithfulness of this diocese is encapsulated in the word: abide because this is what God does, and this is what you do. We might also call it: presence. God does not abandon God’s people, and you do not abandon God or any of God’s people by virtue of your continuing presence here. You abide …

Along with the rest of the world we weep. We marvel at your resilience and your presence. We follow what you say, we listen to Archbishop Hosam and through our cathedral, which the Archbishop and a number of your clergy have visited and worshipped there, we are ready to help practically when we learn from you that the time is right. It was a great joy for us that Archbishop Hosam and Canon Binder were able to meet with staff members of our Department of Foreign Affairs and that all your clergy were able to meet with the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland on your memorable visit to us. As John the Baptist points us to witness in the wilderness, so Jesus points the disciples of John who become his disciples to his abiding presence with them and with you. This is the place and this is the time when excessive light and excessive darkness, from whatever source and by whatever force, reduce to rubble the lives and the homes, the bodies and the minds of God’s children made by God in his image and likeness, ravaged by war, weakened by hunger and depleted by thirst in ways none of us thought possible in the year 2025.

In thanking you for everything you are and do and give, I give the last word of hope to St John the Baptist who points to someone else:

There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world … (St John 1.29)