Homily of Fr. Piotr on Yom HaKehilot (Sukkot 2026)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today we gather with grateful hearts to celebrate the Feast of our Communities of the Vicariate of St. James, in the joyful days of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. For seventy years, the Lord has accompanied our communities in this land. Like Israel in the desert, we have often been few, fragile, and vulnerable, yet always sustained by God's faithful presence.

The Book of Leviticus reminds us that during Sukkot the people of Israel were called to dwell in temporary shelters, remembering that God led them through the wilderness (Lev 23:39-43). The sukkah is a sign of human fragility. Its roof is open enough to see the heavens. It teaches us that our security does not come from walls, institutions, or human strength, but from the Lord alone.

This theme leads us directly to today's Gospel. Saint John tells us that on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out: “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.’” (Jn 7:37).

These words were spoken by Jesus during the Feast of Sukkot. At that time, one of the great ceremonies of the feast was the drawing of water from the Pool of Siloam and the pouring of that water in the Temple. It was a prayer for rain, for life, and for God's blessing upon the land. Standing in the midst of this celebration, Jesus declares that He Himself is the true source of living water. He is the fulfilment of the feast. The water sought by Israel is no longer only the rain from heaven but the Holy Spirit flowing from Christ.

How beautiful that this Gospel accompanies our celebration today. For seventy years, the Lord has poured this living water upon our communities: through the sacraments, through catechesis, through prayer, through countless acts of charity and fidelity. We are here because the Holy Spirit has never ceased to guide us.

Saint Paul reminds us in the Letter to the Colossians that Christ is "before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Our history, our present, and our future find their meaning in Him. The Vicariate was never built merely by human effort. It was built because generations of priests, religious, and lay faithful allowed Christ to work through them.

Today, we give thanks for all those who have served and continue to serve the Kingdom of God in our midst. We thank the founders of our communities and all the priests, sisters, and lay people who have carried this mission during these seventy years.

We welcome and pray for Fr. Roman Savluk, who has accepted the responsibility for the Russian-speaking communities. May the Lord bless his ministry and grant him wisdom and joy in serving God's people.

We also welcome Fr. Francesco Ravaioli, who together with Rabbi Oded Peles will lead the Institute of Jewish and Christian Education. May their collaboration become a blessing for dialogue, understanding, and friendship between Jews and Christians in this land.

We thank all those whose service often remains unseen: those involved in youth and children's ministry, weekends for families, the prayer groups, the liturgical commission, the Child Safeguarding Committee, catechists, young adults' ministry, Vatican News in Hebrew, the office staff, and all the volunteers who generously offer their time and talents.

Above all, we thank every member of our communities and every priest who, day after day, seeks to build the Kingdom of God here on earth through prayer, service, faithfulness, and love.

At the same time, our celebration cannot make us forget the sufferings of our world. During Sukkot, Israel remembers the journey through the desert, a time of uncertainty when the people learned to place their trust in God. Today, many peoples still pass through their own deserts of fear, violence, and loss. Therefore, we pray earnestly for peace, especially here in the Middle East and in Ukraine. We ask the Lord to comfort all victims of war, to heal the wounded, to console those who mourn, and to guide leaders and nations on the path of justice, reconciliation, and peace. In a special way, we pray for the soldiers, including those from our own communities, who carry the difficult burden of defending and protecting others. May God keep them safe, strengthen them in moments of fear and loneliness, and bring them home in peace.

These days also mark the beginning of a new academic year. We entrust to the Lord all students, pupils, teachers, educators, and school staff. May this year be a time of growth in knowledge, wisdom, friendship, and faith. May our children and young people discover their gifts and use them generously for the good of others. And may all those who teach and accompany them be blessed with patience, dedication, and joy in their mission.

As we begin this new pastoral year, we also entrust to the Lord the path that lies before our Vicariate. We have chosen to dedicate this coming year to the theme of love, seeking to rediscover how our faith becomes visible through concrete deeds. Jesus teaches us that love is not merely a feeling but a way of life. Therefore, throughout this year we wish to reflect on how to grow in love towards God and towards our brothers and sisters, including those who speak a different language, come from a different culture, or belong to a different religion. We wish to learn how to care for creation, of which every human being is a part, and how to protect and cherish life in all its stages, from conception until natural death. We want to deepen our commitment to the poor, the vulnerable, migrants, and all those who find themselves on the margins of society. We want to ask ourselves how we can better love our communities, our Vicariate, the local Church in the Holy Land, and the universal Church. May this Year of Love help us to make visible, through our words and actions, the love that God has first shown to us.

This year, the words of Pope Leo are particularly addressed to us: "Do not be afraid of your smallness. The fruitfulness of the Church is not measured in numbers, structures or resources, but in fidelity to the Gospel. A small community, if rooted in Christ, can be a valuable presence: not because it seeks power, but because it serves; not because it imposes itself, but because it bears witness; not because it responds to violence with more violence, but because it counters force with charity."

These words echo the lesson of the sukkah. The strength of God's people has never been found in size or power. It is found in trust. The fragile shelter of Sukkot becomes a place of blessing because God dwells there. Likewise, our communities become fruitful not because we are many, but because Christ dwells among us.

As we celebrate this feast, let us renew our faith in the One who offers living water. Let us thank Him for seventy years of grace. And let us ask for the courage to continue our mission in humility and hope, trusting that the Holy Spirit will continue to flow through our communities for generations to come so that there will be more love in the world. Happy Feast and Happy Year of Love! Amen.

Kiryat Yearim, September 26th, 2026