“Today, I stand before you, not through any worthiness of my own, but leaning on the grace of God, who has redeemed me, called me, freed me, and sent me,” Haddad said. He stressed that “without God I can do nothing, and without the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, none of our efforts, plans, or preparations—whether already written on paper or still being formed—can truly succeed.”
He reflected on the pain of injustice endured by people across the region and beyond in the current moment.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the injustices that plague our land, nor can we forget the pain and sorrow carried in the hearts of all who have suffered and still suffer as a result of human cruelty, hatred, and rejection of one another,” Haddad said. “Yet, in spite of all this, we remain convinced that it is precisely in these dark circumstances that we are called to live in righteousness and holiness,” he noted.
“The Lord calls us again and says: ‘I have chosen you and called you, to send you with a message of salvation, peace, and reconciliation for the world.’ The church, united with Christ through baptism, must hear these words again and live by them … so that we may truly become people who love mercy, as God has called us to do,” ELCJH Bishop Haddad emphasized.