My friends, as we come to the last days of October, the work of the Synod in Rome is completing—at least for this year.  A sister priest and bishop emeritus, shared with our group of women a most hopeful speech given by Pope Francis, primarily to the clergy folks there, encouraging them really, to have a “simple faith,” not unlike the people they presumably serve.  He went on to caution them to “walk away” from clericalism that unfortunately lets them focus on “theological ideologies,” often times devoid of love, and meant to place them hierarchically “above” the people they serve.

   All of the readings for this Sunday encourage ministers and the people in the pews, to be about one simple message spoken most eloquently by our brother Jesus, “Love God…and your neighbor as yourself.”   The remainder of the readings support and flesh out Jesus’ message and all reflect our God’s care for each of us. 

   In the 1^st reading, we hear these words, imparted through Moses from our God, “I will hear [their] cry, for I am compassionate.” Paul continues, reminding the people of Thessaloniki that they witnessed his actions and those of others in the memory of Jesus, and he encourages them to continue following this path of goodness, “despite great trials,” because of the “joy that comes from the Holy Spirit,” in doing what is right. 

   My friends, never has our world needed more, people of faith and strength, fortitude, long-suffering, compassionate and understanding hearts. In truth though, our world has had such times before, but this indeed is another of those. 

   The history of the Israelite people that Moses is tapping into in today’s 1^st reading could easily be brought forward to our present times. Moses, knowing the people’s history of “exile,” “of being orphaned” and “without a home,” could honestly say to them, [You] “should not do [the same] to others.” 

   And even though, those of us not part of this horrible conflict in the Middle East, can more easily and intellectually say, “why would you even consider doing the same to others?”—we have to understand that the pain of grief and loss of land, family, and a place to call home, over so long, is also, so deep-seeded, that it seems to be intractable. And the same could be said in many ways for the people living in the Gaza Strip—a ghetto really.  For this reason, it is my thought that we should pray as Pope Francis has requested—pray in whatever way we find meaningful, that these hurt and waring people can find their way to peace.

   And when I use the word, “people,” I mean it to be inclusive of both sides, Israelis, and Palestinians –“neighbors” in the simplest and most basic terms.  When we become what we supposedly are fighting, it is time to step back, and ask if this is truly who and what we want to be.   My on-going prayer as suggested by one of you recently, is that the women, on both sides, similar to the women in Ireland over the religious war between the Catholics and Protestants, will join in a concerted effort and say, “Enough is enough—no more taking of life of our loved ones!” 

   When Jesus lived and walked upon our earth, he called the lie to the statement of his human sisters and brothers, of their professed love for God, “You cannot say you love God who you cannot see, and say you don’t love your neighbors whom you do see!” As throughout all of history, our own time included, we have to get beyond the surface action separating us and go deeper to hear and see the whole story. 

   I wonder if each side in this Middle East conflict were to invite their “enemy” to the funeral of an innocent child taken in this war, they could continue to wreak such havoc on each other. 

   This reminds me of the wonderful Jewish “custom” of always “welcoming the stranger,” even if that “stranger” was considered an enemy, and to further the point, that “enemy” became one’s “guest.” 

   Because the early Jewish people were nomads—traveling from place to place, they knew of the possibility of being stranded out in nature, many times in desert conditions without food, water, or shelter.  And knowing that even at an “enemy’s” home, they would be welcomed as a “guest,” was a real life-line. 

   So, my friends, again, horrible life situations cause, or should cause us to go deeper, to remember our roots, to find, at the end of the day, our best selves. The same can be said of the crisis in our beloved country with weapons of mass destruction—what are we thinking that allows the indiscriminate killing of our loved ones to continue? Perhaps, it would serve us better to begin “feeling” more, to see the world as one, as sisters and brothers, all wanting the same basic goods—home, food, and safety for our families and friends.  Let us all strive for this—demand that our leaders in Church and State tend to the basic, simple needs of all the people!  Amen? Amen!