"Blood Brothers"

I have just been reading a book which Pete brought by the other day - “Blood Brothers”. It is by Elias Chacour, a Palestinian and a Melkite Christian Priest. He writes of his youth and of coming to age during the early days of the Zionist movement during which Palestinian villages were ransacked and one learns an entirely new side of the establishment of the State of Israel. Chacour’s first assignment after his Seminary training in Paris is to a small village near Nazareth which is overcome with hatred and distrust. Four brothers, in particular are mentioned. When the mother dies in one of their homes the Priest is admonished not to alert the other brothers. “If we are in the same room you will then have five funerals since we will kill each other. Few come to services on most Sundays, but this group is not unlike many others. They feel some necessity to pack the church on Palm Sunday and Easter.

After 18 months of trying to bring some sort of peace to the villager, Elias padlocks the church doors after the Palm Sunday sermon as tells the people that they much work out their anger and hatred before the door will be opened. After a long time one man stands up. It is the town policeman and the brother in whose house the mother had died. Before it is over he confesses his hatred and seeks forgiveness of his brothers and of the Priest. They meet and hug each other and the Kiss of Peace is exchanged with the Priest. It is the beginning of community coming to terms with one another.

I have been particularly interested in this book since our Institute for Peace Studies has its Winter Board meeting this afternoon. Quite possibly each of us has deep seated feelings of distrust and possible hate for others. We are called to remember that Jesus once said: “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons (children) of God.”

By the way, I woke up this morning to -14 degrees. By mid-afternoon it has warmed up to -6.