‘Get up, go ahead, do something’
by Mike Oettle
WHAT, do you
think, has been the driving force behind Elias Chacour’s ministry? I am
devoting a lot of space to tell you about this Palestinian priest’s
extraordinary ministry because I believe it has something to say to us today,
wherever we are.
Of course the gospel is behind it; of course it is his
calling as a servant of Christ. But a lot has to do with that degree he
attained at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where among other things he
learned Aramaic – the language Christ used in His home and in His preaching in
Galilee and Judæa. Elias writes:[1]
“Because the Bible as we know it is a translation of a translation, we sometimes get a wrong impression. For example, we are accustomed to hearing the Beatitudes expressed passively.” He quotes:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for
they shall be satisfied
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
children of God.
“Blessed,” he writes, “is the translation of the word makarioi, used in the Greek New Testament. However, when I look further back to Jesus’ Aramaic, I find that the original word was ashray, from the verb yashar. Ashray does not have this passive quality to it at all. Instead, it means ‘to set yourself on the right way for the right goal, to turn around, repent; to become straight or righteous’.”
Elias asks: “How could I go to a persecuted young man in a Palestinian refugee camp, for instance, and say: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’? That man would revile me, saying neither I nor my God understood his plight, and he would be right.”
So he concludes: “When I understand Jesus’ words in the Aramaic, I translate them like this:
Get up, go ahead, do something, move, you who are hungry
and thirsty for justice, for you shall be satisfied.
Get up, go ahead, do something, move, you peacemakers,
for you shall be called children of God.
“To me,” says Abuna Elias, “this reflects Jesus’ words and teachings much more accurately. I can hear him saying: ‘Get your hands dirty to build a human society for human beings; otherwise, others will torture and murder the poor, the voiceless and the powerless.’
“Christianity is not passive but active, energetic, alive, going beyond despair.”
Elias tells a familiar story: “One day two bats fell into a pot of milk. The pessimistic bat said: ‘What can I do? Will I struggle and sink, and die so very tired. I will not be tired.’ He sank and drowned immediately.
“The optimistic bat said: ‘I will strive to the end, and at least they will say I tried everything.’ She struggled and struggled, trying to fly, until she fainted. Later she awakened and found herself resting safely on a big roll of butter. This is not giving in to despair, but going beyond despair.
“ ‘Get up, go ahead, do something, move,’ Jesus said to his disciples.”
