I have mentioned before that the place I currently live – Berks County, PA – is a place of interesting contrasts. While it has changed a lot in the 30 years our family has been here, it is still a place where change is difficult to make. The PA Dutch culture is still fairly strong, and that culture has always been suspicious of new things. On the other hand, I have never lived anywhere in which Jews, Muslims, and Mainline Christians got along so well. I don’t know if this has always been the case, but since I have lived here, I have been amazed by the way non-Christians have welcomed us into their lives. It is truly inspiring.
Part of this willingness comes from the leadership of the Jewish and Muslim communities. They have accepted our invitations and we have accepted theirs; one congregation, Immanual UCC in Shillington, has a very strong relationship with the local Mosque, and there has been a Thanksgiving Day service in Reading that for decades has been interfaith. When terrorists attacked this country on September 11, 2001, some of us clergy gathered outside the Mosque in our clerical shirts to bear witness and to make sure that nothing happened to their building. When a homegrown terrorist attacked Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in October of 2018, we rallied around our Jewish friends and faith communities. In all cases when lunatics have tried to wage war against our faith cousins, we have been their allies. And they have been ours. We’ve got each other’s backs.
It is the beginning of Ramadan, and for about a month this will be a time of fasting and feasting and praying and community. The Muslim community in our area regularly invites non-Muslims to join them as they break the fast at sundown. Our local Mosque is made up of a variety of nationalities, which makes the feasting multi-cultural as well, and people from all faiths gather under the tent to eat and talk and laugh. This is how the Kingdom of God is supposed to be, I think; this is a time of true Spirit-touched humanity. A week and a half ago I and a number of other local clergy were invited to Temple Oheb Shalom to celebrate Shabbot with all three Jewish communities. We worshiped together and then ate a wonderful meal as their guests. This is real community.
So, the next time you hear some bigot disrespect people of other religions, speak up. Tell them your story of joy and common faith shared with others who might have a different religious flavor, but still worship the same God. Sure, I think that Jesus is the incarnation of God, but that doesn’t mean that other faith traditions don’t have ways in which God is incarnate in their communities. To say that Jesus is the only way is blasphemy; nobody knows the mind of God, and nobody has the right to limit the way God is understood and worshiped. Believe it or not, nobody owns God. Nobody dictates to God. Nobody has the right to disrespect God’s people. As our Muslim cousins say, Peace be upon you.
Prayer – Holy God, You have many names, but are one. Thank You for being present in all of our faith communities. Amen.
Today’s picture is prayer during Ramadan at the Kabba in Mecca.