Earlier this week, a 60 Minutes segment aired about a few of the 125,000 Iraqi Christians forced to flee their homes after being told to either convert to Islam or “face the sword.” The piece also follows monks and archbishops desperately trying to preserve the heritage of small Christian enclaves in northern Iraq. The Monastery of St. Matthew, which has prayed in Aramaic (the language of Jesus) since the 4th century, eyes an uncertain future; after the destruction of the reputed burial site of Jonah in Mosul, it seems no landmark is safe. Overall, the picture is one of bitter defeat and boundless uncertainty.
But one Iraqi girl has a different story to tell.
Her name is Myriam. After being driven from her home in Qaraquosh, the ten-year-old sat down to talk to SAT-7 about her life and her faith, part of a “resistance through forgiveness” video campaign that’s already gone viral in the Arab world. Her message is one of mercy, hope, and love. “God loves us all,” she declares to the interviewer. “God loves everybody.”
The interview ends with Myriam singing her favorite song (lyrics below).
Christians, St. John Paul II once said, are the Easter people; even when surrounded by despair, Hallelujah is their song.
Of that, Myriam is living proof.
“Myriam’s Song”:
How joyful is the day on which I believed in Christ
My joy was made complete at dawn
And my voice sang with gratitude
My love to my glorious Savior
Day by day will it grow
A new life, a joyful day
When I reunite with my Beloved
Motivated by love, He came
Oh what an awesome love!
He restored me to righteousness
On account of an honest covenant
My love to my glorious savior
Day by day will it grow
A new life, a joyful day
When I reunite with my Beloved
Matthew Becklo is a husband and father, amateur philosopher, and cultural commentator at Aleteia and Word on Fire. His writing has been featured in First Things, The Dish, and Real Clear Religion.
And today we celebrate...