Musings on the Wisdom of God on Reconciliation and Peace in the Holy Land

Rudy Barnes, Jr.,

This Advent Season a war between clashing cultures is raging in the Holy Land.  The cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil is testing our faith in God’s wisdom to promote reconciliation and peace against Satan’s will to promote hatred and violence; but Satan has done a convincing imitation of God in religion and politics in the war in the Holy Land.

Thomas Friedman has summarized the three components needed to end the war: The Palestinian Authority must replace Hamas in Gaza; but both Hamas and Netanyahu’s far right coalition are opposed to empowering the Palestinian Authority.  Friedman has asserted that  Israel and the U.S. cannot stabilize Gaza so long as Netanyahu remains in power.

The deep-seated hatred between Jews and Palestinians in the Hamas-Israeli war has polarized politics worldwide, but it is not yet a partisan issue in America.  If that happens it will further polarize and corrupt American politics at a critical time. Chuck Schumer has described the danger, and the need for a bipartisan American policy to promote peace in the Holy Land.

The Gospel of John, like that of Mark, does not have a nativity story, but it has its own Advent story with the coming of Jesus as the Logos and the light of the world.  Jesus was a Jewish rabbi who was critical of Judaism in 1st century Palestine. Islam did not then exist and Palestinians were Jews.  Politics and religion have changed the world since the time of Jesus. 

Dividing the Holy Land to appease Israelis and Palestinians would test the wisdom of Solomon, who once resolved a bitter custody dispute between two prostitutes over a baby.  After saying he would give half of the baby to each claimant, Solomon gave the baby to the woman who had compassion for it. (See 1 Kings 3:16- 28) 

Even the wisdom of Solomon has its limits in contentious real estate and political claims, especially when religion makes them  a toxic mix.  America must avoid partisan polarization over the competing claims of Palestinians and Israeli Jews so that it can be a light in the darkness of the Hamas-Israeli war.   

1 John 4:16 tells us that God is love; and the greatest commandment in Mark, Matthew and Luke provides the moral imperative to love God and our neighbors, including those of other races and religions, as we love ourselves.  It’s a common word of faith for  Jews, Christians and Muslims, and the new command in John’s Gospel to “love one another” (John 13:34-35) is an abbreviated version of the greatest commandment.

In the classic Beatles ballad, Let it Be, “Mother Mary” is like Sophia in Proverbs 8 who represents God’s wisdom: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, Speaking words of wisdom, let it be; and in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.  There will be an answer.”  In the darkness of the Hamas-Israeli war, America must be a light of God’s reconciling love to bring peace to the Holy Land. Let it be!

 

Notes:

On Thomas Friedman’s commentary on Understanding the True Nature of the Hamas-Israel War, see https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/28/opinion/israel-palestinians-war-iran.html.

On Chuck Shumer’s concerns over What American Jews Fear Most, see https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/opinion/chuck-schumer-jews-antisemitism.html.

 

Let It Be, by the Beatles is a ballad on God’s wisdom and the reconciling power of love:

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be.

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see

There will be an answer, let it be.

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Yeah, there will be an answer

Let it be.

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be.

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me

Shine until tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

There will be an answer

Let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

There will be an answer, Let it be.