Ur of the Chaldees is mentioned in the first book of the Bible as the homeland Abraham leaves behind to go towards the Promised Land, pinning all his hopes on what God had told him: “… in your descendants all the nations of the earth will find blessing, because you obeyed my command” (Gen 22:18). He is, therefore, recognized as father in the faith by the so-called Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These religions recognize that they have their roots in the faith of Abraham: that of a humanity that listens to the voice of God and sets out on its journey.
The recent trip of Pope Francis to Iraq, with a stopover at Ur, contains a message for humanity: there is a need today for men and women who know how to listen to the voice of God, to God who speaks to their conscience even through the religious traditions they follow. Retracing the course of history, in this journey to Ur, was a prophetic gesture or symbolic action so that we may be able to look ahead, accepting this invitation: let us listen together to God’s call and walk towards fraternity and peace. The reciprocal openness and the mutual exchange of gifts between individuals and peoples make room for the coming of that which is as yet unseen: something which is manifested in that new logic of existence, sharing, and synergy that the Bible calls “covenant.”
It is not an instrumental fact directed towards the acquisition of something for the benefit of the partners involved in the covenant. On the contrary, it is a matter of embarking on a journey that transcends their respective starting points and the respective groups to which they belong. It is a process set in motion by God in view of the coming of his kingdom of brotherhood and peace. The stages of its realization and the final end of the process are hidden and not yet revealed by God. And yet, as we progress along the way, we begin to catch a glimpse of the goal towards which we are being led. Then we can move forward together with determination and responsibility, mindful of our common destiny.
Piero Coda
Fr. Coda is a theologian and former dean of the Sophia University Institute at Loppiano (Figline-Incisa Valdarno) near Florence, Italy. Among his many works is “From the Trinity: The Coming of God in Revelation and Theology” (CUA Press, 2020).
