7 days without exercise makes 1 weak!

Down deep inside myself there is the peace of silence. But going there and coming back is painful. Having persons(s) to share the journey into peace and the way back is a way to ease the pain.

Tonight at the Islamic Center I heard a Catholic Jesuit priest speak of the world of Muslim faith and his over 40 years of experience with Muslims. To hear once more how much we Christian share with Muslim was inspiring. But I felt he was talking to a group of Muslims and Christians that were open to his message.

I got an email from an activist friend saying how now that the Democratic candidates he was working for won it was time for action. I agree and looked forward to taking actions on peace and justice issues. But his email went on to talk about rallies, more talks and petitions but nothing I could identify as ‘action.’

I find articles about peace and justice issues, talks like tonight encouraging but unless he takes a form of action in our daily lives how valuable it was.
The speaker tonight reminded us how the core motivation of a Muslims life was to serve God. Hospitality to a guest, as he experienced it in Muslims countries, is nothing exceptional but just a way to worship and serve God.

In Christianity we have the same belief of doing everything for the love of God and expressing that love by loving our neighbors. But we, like some in the Muslim world, often fall short on doing what we believe.

People sometimes question why I am so persistence on certain justice and faith issues. At times I respond that I have no choice but to work for justice and peace by taking concrete actions. Practicing what we preach was drilled into me in all my years of Catholic education. I do not always live up to doing it but hearing more and more talk and words of what we believe and what we should be doing can help but also can be an excuse for inaction.

In the school at the Islamic center there was a banner on the wall saying: “Seven days without exercise makes one weak.” Too much talk and words without exercise or action, can make us weak.

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