June 13, 2014  / 15 Sivan,  5774

It was, perhaps, the most sublime of meetings among world leaders this year - a gathering of Israel's President, the President of the Palestinian Authority, and the Pope.  It involved prayer, speeches of conciliation, and the planting of trees. 

And yet, it seems, the popular sentiment about this endeavor is "It doesn't hurt to pray."

Why are we so cynical about what happened at the Vatican this past Sunday? 

Prayer, Tefillah in Hebrew, is a means with which to reach upward within our souls, a verbal recipe for aspiration that might lead us toward noble and worthy deeds.

When I prepare each morning to recite the Daily Blessings, articulations of thanks for bodily functions, the restoration of the soul, the ability to stand up straight, I enthusiastically preface this litany with the words:

"I hereby accept the obligation of fulfilling my Creator's mitzvah in the Torah:  Love your neighbor as yourself."  These are, perhaps, among the most meaningful words of the day for me, for they are a personal charge to have consideration for all other human beings.

So many other examples in the Jewish Liturgy, which are organized upon a triad of praise, thanks, and petition, point to the notion that our lasting achievements are rooted in the voices emitted by our hearts and souls. 

Sunday was a moment upon which to marvel and hope that the children of Abraham have it within their power to sit together, while communing with a common God, and inspire their respective brethren to translate hopes into accomplishments, determination into achievements.

As Pope Francis said it, so may we realize:

Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brother and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace our trepidation into confident trust, and out quarreling into forgiveness.

Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way peace may triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!