Posted on 05/11/2014 4:41:21 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
Mark Rouk, a 16-year-old Christian Arab boy from east Jerusalem who suffers from a chronic illness, believes the only way for him to heal is with a blessing from the pope Chief Rabbi David Lau says he will invite Rouk to pope's reception ceremony.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Rouk family
For one 16-year-old boy from east Jerusalem, Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Israel will be a dream come true. Mark Rouk, a Christian Arab youth who suffers from a chronic illness, approached Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and asked him to help him meet the pope.
In addition to the chronic illness, Rouk suffers from an infection in his joints and tendons that causes him immense pain. His medical problems cause him to be much smaller than his peers. If that were not enough, about two months ago, Rouk was hurt in an accident when an iron gate in a parking lot fell on top of him. Until recently, he had been using a wheelchair to get around, but he is now using crutches.
Rouk's family members say his mood has been very low and that the only thing that will cheer him up is a blessing from the pope. According to his mother, Rouk believes that being near the pope and receiving a blessing from him will help to heal him.
Lau told Israel Hayom that as soon as his office received Rouk's request, it was clear to him that it would be answered. "The pope's visit in Israel is all about the strengthening of relations between the religions to create a dialogue of peace and fraternity between nations, and there is no better way to display that than when a young boy feels he can ask the chief rabbi of Israel to help make this wish come true," Lau said.
"I plan to invite him to join me to attend the official reception ceremony for the pope, and I hope there will also be an opportunity for a meeting between the pope and the boy," he added.
Lau continued, "When you see such a lovely boy like this, who is cared for by a dedicated team that does not care if he is Jewish or not and does everything possible to help him, there is no doubt that this is the most beautiful thing about the Jewish nation, and the pope should certainly see this."
Lau added that in his meeting with the pope, he plans to speak about unity among nations.
"There are extremists in every nation and country," he said. "It is important that international religious leaders be united in the call for peace, tolerance and solidarity, and I am happy to be doing this with the young boy at my side because peace is the ideal for all of us and bringing nations closer is the goal of our generation."
Very nice!
Would a Muslim cleric do this for a Christian boy?
I will pray for the lad....TOO.
Praying for him. The Holy Land has seen some miracles recently.
Certainly not. His illness is "Allah's will".
Doesn’t look like apartheid to me.
Maybe the Lord will reward his faith with a physical healing, or maybe He will reward his faith in another way.
Christian charity began from the Jews.
God bless this young man as he meets Pope Francis.
Prepare for the lamestream media spins.
Certainly. As Jesus said, “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22)
Still, I wish a refu'ah shelemah (complete healing) to the boy mentioned.
“Chief rabbi helps sick boy fulfill dream to meet the pope”
Sounds like a setup.
...and the Vatican released this statement:
“Is this some kind of joke?”
But seriously, good on Chief Rabbi Lau and the doctors, and I hope this does him good.
LAU is a 100% Chinese name. I saw the Rabbi's photograph and he is definitely not Chinese.
What an odd co-inkydink.
I'll remember him the next time I think I'm experiencing a run of bad luck.
Not sure what you’re saying here. If this rabbi’s name is Lau, andhe’s not Chinese, then Lau is not a q100% Chinese name.
I looked up Lau on the Wold Name Public Profiler, and found “hot spots” for surname LAU in both Germany and Australia.
http://worldnames.publicprofiler.org/Default.aspx
We must remember that the Jews are our Beloved Elder Brethren.
Amen to that.
Lau is Yiddish for ‘lion’, I think.
Leo in English, Aryeh in Hebrew, etc.
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