Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling to the Holy Land for the very first time. What a week! Organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council, our trip consisted of a group of almost 20 Christian and Jewish clergy persons.
As I walked numerous Jewish and Christian holy sites, I couldn't help but feel a deep connection with the land in Israel. Everywhere one travels there is a history as ancient as the Bible itself. I was consistently amazed at how often we would pass sites while driving and hear from our tour guide things like, "this is the field where David fought Goliath" or "this is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found."
From this experience, I began to understand the depth of connection that the Jewish people feel to the land of their ancestors. As I gazed upon this ancient land, I could imagine traveling the desert with Abraham and Sarah. As I walked through the Old City in Jerusalem, I could imagine what Jesus might have felt while entering the gates of the city on Palm Sunday, or while constantly challenging the religious authorities. On the trip's blog (found here: http://jcrcinisrael.blogspot.com), Rev. Sally Newhall put it perfectly:
"To see what Jesus saw when he stepped out of his doorway each day as a child, what David saw as he climbed the hill that we call Mt. Zion, to overlook the hills upon which the Crusaders and Muslims fought so long ago and more recently the war of independence and the Six Day War - to see all of this feels like being in a vortex of time and brings those events so much more alive for me."
Each day, I also heard about how the land here- and the connection that people of sincere faith feel to that land- has been a source of conflict over the past century. How could such great spiritual traditions fight for so long over land- even to the point of killing one another?
What I found out in the Holy Land is that the majority of people- over 70% in both Israel and Palestinian territories- are in favor of peace. It is a minority of extremists on both sides whose actions have thwarted the peace process. It was inspiring to see examples of people from both sides of the conflict who are working for peace, and who have been doing so for some time (most especially from the OneVoice movement: http://www.onevoicemovement.org).
One activity that made the trip especially meaningful was the spiritual dimension infused into it, where one clergy person was asked to share something at each site- perhaps a prayer, a scripture reading, a reflection, a song, etc. In the midst of sites that were often busy and noisy, these reflections brought me back to the heart of why we were here.
One day, our group traveled to the Mount of Beatitudes. Before we entered the grounds to where Jesus was reported to have spoken these words, one of the clergy repeated verses from the Sermon on the Mount. As he spoke from the heart, without notes or text, these words of Jesus (from Matthew 5: 3-11 and 5: 43-48) came alive:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
What would it take to live out these words today? To be peacemakers? To live with purity of heart? To hunger and thirst for righteousness? To love even our enemy?
After a talk on the Israel/Lebanon border, we heard about how an Israeli kibbutz (place of communal living) on the border had been bombed for over 30 days straight in 2006. We heard about a terrorist organization called Hezbollah, controlled and financed by Iran, who is hiding weapons in the homes of civilians in Lebanon. The talk was, to say the least, a bit daunting. How can we achieve peace in the midst of these circumstances?
After the talk on the border, the words of St. Francis of Assisi came to my mind. At a reflection after the border talk, I shared with our group St. Francis' peace prayer:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
After only one week in Israel, I do not have all the answers on how to achieve peace in the Middle East. In fact, my time produced more questions than answers! But, from the life of Jesus, St. Francis, and saints of every religion, I do feel positive about one trustworthy first step to peace:
Be the source of the change you with to see in the world.
Don't wait for another to be loving. Be loving first. Don't wait for another to make peace. Be a peacemaker in all that you think, say, and do.
A simple solution? Perhaps. But it is a message that Jesus gives over and over again in his teachings in the gospels, and through the living of his life. Embody peace yourself. Though temporary peace can be made through laws, agreements, and mandates, lasting peace comes from within the human heart. This is a peace that is not simply the absence of conflict, but that is full of harmony, beauty, goodness, and the love of God.
May that peace be yours today, in all things. Blessings,
Matt Carriker
No comments:
Post a Comment