All Faiths United

  “No justice, no peace” we hear from demonstrators in street marches.   They are voicing a fundamental truth.   Without justice, there may appear to be a form of peace, but it is fake, superficial.   Underneath the smiles, there is a simmering anger fed by smashed dreams and barriers to equality. Somewhat like the times when Jesus was born into a Palestine under the heel of Roman oppression.   Some historians have called that a time of peace, but this fake “Pax Romano” was giving birth to freedom fighters such as Barabbas, whose path would cross that of Jesus 33 years later. In his latest encyclical, Pope Francis sheds light on similar current situations by reminding us that we are all brothers and sisters. He challenges us to ponder how we will behave when we finally emerge from COVID-governed restrictions. Will some countries continue to grab instead of sharing? Will we continue to destroy our natural world? Will some people continue to put “I” before “we?”...

CHARITY AND JUSTICE Many people view charity as very different from justice in that charity equals social service and justice equals social change.   Also, charity is directed at the effects of injustice, its symptoms; while justice promotes social change in institutions or political structures.   All this is true.   But there are some ways that charity and justice are in close relationship to each other and effect each other. Many people are involved in individual charitable acts that help their neighbor or community.   With these charitable acts they are hoping for social change.   Christian churches have social services that they offer to the public.   Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, Methodist Mission Social Services, and Baptist Community Services are just a few Christian social organizations offering charitable services to the public.   These organizations do not directly separate social service from social change. ...

Our Bodies, Hearts , and Healing During this Time of the Coronavirus   Sister Gloria Haider, OSF, May 16, 2020 HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION For Christians this is the Easter Season.   I’ve been reflecting on how after the Resurrection of Jesus, his glorified body still had the marks of his wounds on his hands, feet, and side.   After Jesus died, he appeared to the twelve apostles once when Thomas was not present and once when he was present.   Thomas had not believed that the other apostles had seen Jesus.   But, when Thomas saw Jesus, and Jesus said “put your finger here; see my hands.   Reach out your hand and put it into my side,” Thomas believed (John 20:27). So, Jesus’ glorified, divine body continued to have the wound markings.   There must be a reason for this.   I think that it was to help us understand that our wounds and heartbreaks can be healed and transformed. HEARTBREAKS During this time of coronavirus, I’ve been th...

LIVING A MORAL LIFE IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD  by Lois Eichman, AFU member Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes on his website article, Morality matters more than ever in a world divided by fear and faithlessness , “One of the lasting unintended consequences of multiculturalism is that we no longer think of the nation as a whole. Instead the electorate has been fragmented into a series of subcultures, defined by ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. These can easily become competitive interest groups, less concerned with the common good than for what is good for those-like-me. Each group can be encouraged by the mood of our time, to see itself as a victim and to identify an oppressor who can be blamed for their current predicament. This gives rise to divisive and rancorous politics that divide society, like the dualisms of old, into the children of light and the children of darkness. It also produces a justification for the use of social media to manipulate public opinio...

by Brenda Nettles Riojas, AFU member After any tragedy, we find comfort in coming together in solidarity with others who are in shock and in mourning. Following each horrific mass shooting in our nation, we ask ourselves yet again, “Why?” “How can these atrocities continue in our world?” These tragedies that try to destroy peace presses the need that now more than ever we must continue to work together, making peace building a priority. For more than four years our interfaith group, All Faiths United, has been working in building peace in our own community by building understanding. Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus in the Rio Grande Valley join others in solidarity standing against such violence which goes against God and humanity. We commit ourselves further to the work ahead. Sister Fatima Santiago, a Missionary sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who has led the planning efforts for the group, reminds us, “We cannot solve misunderstandings worldwide, but we can...