Friday March 11.11 We're really no so different....

Here in Israel they build walls both to keep people in and to keep people out.  Here in Israel they have soldiers with guns facing off with people armed with only paper work permits that allow them to travel.  Here in Israel they call it the Holy Land whereas I call it the land of the Holy One. This cannot be what God, what Jesus or even what Muhammed had in mind.

Shouts for safety drown out the calls for peace.  Cries for control drown out the calls for justice.  Honking horns and sermons through loudspeakers drown out everything but the most precious thought.  And in each of the Holy Shrines people gather to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and yet no one will walk across the road with their hand extended in greeting.

In Canada we are much more subtle.  In Canada we have no walls to separate us rather roads we do not cross.  In Canada we have no soldiers with guns to do our bidding rather we have policy makers in some office in Ottawa.  In Canada we sing proudly about "our home and native land" and "true patriot love" and yet we provide little justice for those who came before us.

Are we so different?  Here in this place, in the land of the Holy One, it easy to see the conqueror and the conquered, the privileged and the oppressed.  In Canada the lines between the two are much more subtle and even more muddied with concerns about the rights of new immigrants who we say we welcome and then delegate to the corners of our towns.  

Some two thousand years ago a man walked these very roads and dedicated his life to speaking truth to power.  A man, a saviour, chosen by God came down to earth to bring a  message of peace hope and love... and it seems that no one listened.  When Jesus said "love your neighbour" he did not say love only those who look like you or who think like you or who worship like you.  He meant for us to love all who we meet with the same love that God loves us with.  He meant for us to tear down the things that divide us and put aside those things that divide us so that we might come together to bring about God's peace here on earth.

All we have is a gift from God and in thanks for those gifts we should at least do what he asked.... love you neighbor as yourself.