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Let’s strive for social justice and peace by walking together
Church in the Community - Media Release in the Herald: 12 December 2022
Source: TCN / Gail Charalambous
Date Added: 2022-12-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
Date Added: 2022-12-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
“Jesus taught us to love one another. His law is love and his gospel is Peace” - an advent prayer from 19th century France.
During this season of Advent, for a moment, can we block out the hustle and bustle, the jingles and pressure from advertiser’s, the ching of the tills, and turn our attention to the true meaning of Advent, and focus on the Prince of Peace?
William Ury an American author, academic, anthropologist and negotiation expert, co-founded Abraham Path, a walking trial and cultural route in the Middle East that retraces the steps of Abraham and his family.
Abraham’s story has inspired many different communities including Muslims, Jews and Christians, to build on the narrative of a shared connection by walking, talking and showing hospitality to strangers.
There are now over two thousand kilometres of interlinked trails through southwest Asia.
Now, I am not for one minute suggesting that we start following Abraham’s journeys through Jordan, Palestine, Sinai, and Turkey.
However, we can start by reaching out to each other, by walking and talking with people from all faiths, right here in our metro.
Friends, in the Church community, we sure do love to talk and talk.
But, it is now time for action, if we are to successfully meet the growing anxiety and demands resulting from the pandemic, multiple and deepening global economic crises, unemployment and hunger.
We are going to be stretched.
Therefore, we need to get to know, befriend and respect all people irrespective of their religious persuasion across the spectrum by creating our own Abraham Path, where we walk, talk and share a meal focusing on our commonalities, rather than our differences.
Ury has found that, that when we need to face difficult or awkward conversations, it is better to take a walk, shoulder to shoulder than to face each other.
While we are walking, we get to learn about the other person by listening deeply, with empathy and understanding, and in so doing bring about meaningful introspection in our own life.
We are challenged to examine pre-conceived ideas and prejudice. We are able to reach out, to the hungry by giving them something to eat.
We are encouraged to welcome the stranger and invite them into our hearts.
We bring comfort to those who are sick and need looking after, and offer clothing to those who are without.
We visit those who are in prison. We should be a “mensch” in everything we do.
“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36. I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25: 35-40).
Imagine, if (folks from all faith groups) started from the Masjid Aziez Mosque in South End, then proceeded to St Augustine’s Cathedral, thereafter to the Aulayam Hindu Temple in Upper Valley Road and then we walked up Temple Israel in Upper Dickens Street.
There are so many routes and options, where we can showcase our rich cultural and religious diversity, and reflect on how we can work towards building healthy and peaceful communities by actively engaging in dismantling religious and cultural divisions, by dispelling myths and half-truths.
Advent is a season of hope, expectation, deep reflection and joy as we await the Christ Child to be born anew in our hearts.
Please, pray with me this four-fold Benedictine blessing by Sister Marlene Fox:
“May the Spirit bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships so that you will live deep in your heart.
“May the Spirit bless you with anger at injustice and oppression, and exploitation of people and the earth, so that you will work for justice and peace.
“May the Spirit bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them.
“May the Spirit bless you with foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do all the things which others say cannot be done.”
Gail Charalambous
During this season of Advent, for a moment, can we block out the hustle and bustle, the jingles and pressure from advertiser’s, the ching of the tills, and turn our attention to the true meaning of Advent, and focus on the Prince of Peace?
William Ury an American author, academic, anthropologist and negotiation expert, co-founded Abraham Path, a walking trial and cultural route in the Middle East that retraces the steps of Abraham and his family.
Abraham’s story has inspired many different communities including Muslims, Jews and Christians, to build on the narrative of a shared connection by walking, talking and showing hospitality to strangers.
There are now over two thousand kilometres of interlinked trails through southwest Asia.
Now, I am not for one minute suggesting that we start following Abraham’s journeys through Jordan, Palestine, Sinai, and Turkey.
However, we can start by reaching out to each other, by walking and talking with people from all faiths, right here in our metro.
Friends, in the Church community, we sure do love to talk and talk.
But, it is now time for action, if we are to successfully meet the growing anxiety and demands resulting from the pandemic, multiple and deepening global economic crises, unemployment and hunger.
We are going to be stretched.
Therefore, we need to get to know, befriend and respect all people irrespective of their religious persuasion across the spectrum by creating our own Abraham Path, where we walk, talk and share a meal focusing on our commonalities, rather than our differences.
Ury has found that, that when we need to face difficult or awkward conversations, it is better to take a walk, shoulder to shoulder than to face each other.
While we are walking, we get to learn about the other person by listening deeply, with empathy and understanding, and in so doing bring about meaningful introspection in our own life.
We are challenged to examine pre-conceived ideas and prejudice. We are able to reach out, to the hungry by giving them something to eat.
We are encouraged to welcome the stranger and invite them into our hearts.
We bring comfort to those who are sick and need looking after, and offer clothing to those who are without.
We visit those who are in prison. We should be a “mensch” in everything we do.
“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36. I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25: 35-40).
Imagine, if (folks from all faith groups) started from the Masjid Aziez Mosque in South End, then proceeded to St Augustine’s Cathedral, thereafter to the Aulayam Hindu Temple in Upper Valley Road and then we walked up Temple Israel in Upper Dickens Street.
There are so many routes and options, where we can showcase our rich cultural and religious diversity, and reflect on how we can work towards building healthy and peaceful communities by actively engaging in dismantling religious and cultural divisions, by dispelling myths and half-truths.
Advent is a season of hope, expectation, deep reflection and joy as we await the Christ Child to be born anew in our hearts.
Please, pray with me this four-fold Benedictine blessing by Sister Marlene Fox:
“May the Spirit bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships so that you will live deep in your heart.
“May the Spirit bless you with anger at injustice and oppression, and exploitation of people and the earth, so that you will work for justice and peace.
“May the Spirit bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them.
“May the Spirit bless you with foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do all the things which others say cannot be done.”
Gail Charalambous
Source: TCN / Gail Charalambous
Date Added: 2022-12-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
Back to News IndexDate Added: 2022-12-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
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