BLESSED BE THE LORD OF_Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of his son Jesus, of Mohammed, and of all the people who WORSHIP him in spirit and truth.

 

My Brothers, my Sisters,

Welcome to

A meditation for the second Wednesday of March

Our topic will be:

Why together?

Because they have many things in common:

The National Geographic has called Jerusalem "THE DIVINE MOSAIC." Sarajevo was always a MOSAIC of different people, different races, different religions, different cultures.

You don't now how many times people from New York have told me how their children played in the streets all together: Irish, Italians, Jews, Blacks and whoever was there.

They played together, they fought together, they teased one another together and there was never a problem. If anyone of them would do something wrong any family was tacitly authorized to smack him and no one protested. In fact they thanked those who "cared" for their children.

The families exchanged gifts, food and gossip, and all lived in Peace.

People from Philadelphia have told me the same many times.

The same was for Sarajevo and for Jerusalem.

Here I have in front of me the map of Jerusalem. By the way, I am talking about the Old Jerusalem, the Holy City.

Half of it is taken by the "Muslim Quarter." The rest is divided between the "Christian Quarter," the "Armenian Quarter," and the "Jewish Quarter," the smallest.

They are all naturally united by the belief in one God and they all have their Holy Places in the same area. It should not be difficult for them to live in peace.

Why so many divisions, dissensions, and wars?

"The question," a writer in the New York Times magazine of January 10, states "is not in trying to separate, but to see whether it is possible for them to live together as fairly and peacefully possible." "Violence," he concludes, "hatred and intolerance are bred out of injustice, and a thwarted sense of political fulfillment."

AMBITION, GREED, THIRST FOR POWER,

ABSURD AND EXTREME NATIONALISM OF A FEW, HAVE BROUGHT WAR AND DEATH WHERE PEACE AND

RECIPROCAL ACCEPTANCE REIGNED.

HOLOCAUSTS

HAVE BEEN REPEATED

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

PEACE BE

TO ALL THE JERUSALEMS

AND SARAJEVOS OF THE WORLD.

AMEN.

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