by Jill Ragar Esfeld
jill.esfeld@theleaven.org
SHAWNEE — “We are one body” — that is the essence of the message from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) in a program presented by Outreach manager Destiny Magnett at Good Shepherd Church here Dec. 12.
“God loves the people of Gaza just as God loves the people of Israel,” she said. “This is what I hope you take away today.”
Recent updates on the Middle East conflict give hope for de-escalation and progress toward peace in the region.
A cease-fire accord, release of hostages and access to humanitarian aid in Gaza are all answers to the prayers of Pope Frances and Catholic leaders throughout the world.
Magnett spoke of that hope, reminding her audience that Christianity, Islam and Judaism are all Abrahamic faiths, and the land in conflict is sacred space to all.
“Because this land is so sacred and so holy,” she said, “everyone that it’s sacred to ought to be able to live there, to pray there, to worship there. And to do so without fear.”
Good Shepherd parishioner Scott Wasserman, a Catholic convert raised in the Jewish faith, attended the program and was impressed by Magnett’s approach.
“We need more presentations like this,” he said. “She refocused us on what really matters, which is that all people are children of God.
“Everyone deserves the chance to raise their families with security, with safety and opportunity.”
Magnett briefly covered the history of the region and the current conflict using graphs and maps to illustrate changes over time.
She emphasized that the history lesson she could give in one hour did not begin to cover “something that is long, that is deep, that has a lot of emotions attached to it; sorrows as well as joys.”
Pointing to a graphic of lives lost in the conflict, Magnett said it has become an incredibly sobering practice for her to update the information each time she gives a presentation.
“We say in our work often that part of our call in faith is to allow our hearts to continue to be broken for the things that break the heart of God,” she said. “I believe with all my spirit that God mourns all of the 46,000 Palestinian lives lost.
“God also mourns the 1,200 Israelis that were killed on Oct. 7.”
Advocating for Palestinian rights is consistent with a commitment to ensuring the rights, safety and dignity of Jewish Israelis.
The only way forward is equitable justice for both groups of people, working toward solutions that benefit all.
In light of that, Wasserman said it was important people be aware of antisemitism and its impact on that progress.
“Debating the policies of the United States and Israel is democracy, not antisemitism,” he said. “Calling for the elimination of Jews or Israel is antisemitism.
“The essence of antisemitism is projecting onto Jews whatever the dominant group despises or fears.”
Wasserman cautioned that both antisemitism and Islamophobia distort the conversations we need to be having.
“They cut down the conversations and they twist them,” he said. “We need good faith, generous creative thinking about how to bring peace and security to all people in the Middle East.”
In her talk, Magnett reflected on a trip CMEP took to the Holy Land last fall.
“One of the most impactful places to me when I visit the Holy Land is called Dominis Flavit,” she said, “the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem.
“As long as there is violence and conflict, he continues to weep over Jerusalem today.”
As Catholics we must look at the situation in the Middle East through the eyes of Christ and advocate for peace and justice for all, she said.
Our most powerful tool in pursuing that goal is prayer.
“I pray for the return of the hostages,” said Wasserman. “I pray for the end of violence. I pray for peace and security for all people.
“I pray that here in the United States and throughout the world we can have good faith, generous conversations that really work to bring peace and safety to all people.”
