Authenticity of our belief

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today suggest exploring the authenticity of our belief. The letter of John points to the idea of walking in the shoes of Jesus if we profess our belief in Him. We are drawn to the need to remove hatred from our lives as we begin to follow the example of love from Jesus. The psalmist praises God who comes in judgement. This aspect of the Divine seems in tension or conflict with the overwhelming compassion, forgiveness and intimate love we understand in Jesus. It is not a conflicting characteristic. The wisdom of the indwelling Spirit equips us with judgement in situations to choose life and love. Our sense of justice needs is routed in our being and is part of our relationship with the Divine. How that justice tension is resolved is the source of many questions.

If anyone in the Middle East has earned the right to hate, it is a Palestinian father, physician and, now, first-time author by the name of Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish. (an Israeli attack killed his three daughters and niece)


But here’s the paradox: Abuelaish refuses to hate.


Instead, he remains deeply committed to Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, and now he has written a vivid, haunting and all but heartbreaking account of that commitment, a position he refuses to abandon even in the face of Job-like provocation — the violent deaths of three daughters and a niece.


I Shall Not Hate is set for publication in Canada.

The Gospel of Luke presents the revelation to the faithful Simeon that the Messiah, who he had been inspired to expect through his authentic relationship with the Divine, had been presented in the Temple. The transcendence that accompanies the life of those of authentic faith is often brought to mind by people of faith in our circle of friends who expect and experience daily revelation of the Will of the Father through their relationship with God. The Good Challenge is presented in time for New Year’s resolutions!