I’ve witnessed miracles as I have been doing my part to protest the genocide and seventy-five-year Israeli occupation in Gaza.
I’ve watched Palestinian Muslims, praying over the dead bodies of their children, wives, and husbands, thanking God for their loved ones and asking that God receive their souls. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of mourning and weeping, but their gratitude, faith, and acceptance that this is God’s will is unwavering. If it were me and I had lost one of my sons or husband, I would be shaking my fist at God, furious God did not protect my family. They trust God in a way I struggle with. They are not ashamed to be martyrs.
By a virtual invitation, I’ve joined non-Zionist Jews around the world in a Peace Seder, asking God for justice and peace in Gaza. It may be the most beautiful liturgy I have ever participated in.
Another time at the end of my shift—after hours of making calls asking people to vote uncommitted in order to put pressure on the Biden administration to help Gaza—I said to the team I was on, “That was holy work.” A woman in a hijab replied, “For me too, even more holy than when I pray.”
I watched a beautiful woman, a Black Episcopal priest, sing against the oppression of the Palestinians in the congressional lunchroom. I heard a Native American woman make the war chant as the police handcuffed her. Her way of saying they could not imprison her spirit. My non-Zionist Jewish neighbor paid (a lot of money) to put up a billboard protesting what Israel is doing. She worked with a Muslim group to do this.
Most of all, it is a beautiful thing to see Muslims, Jews, African Americans, and Native Peoples come together to protest the genocide and seventy-five-year occupation of Palestine. Whole countries have sent messages to our president that they want justice. Ireland, Spain, South Africa, Jordan, etc. How beautiful it is for these very different cultures to unify.
There are some white people too. Usually non-religious white people. Many conservative white Christians believe it is their calling to support the genocide. They believe the Bible tells them to support whatever Israel wants to do. I even heard of a group of evangelicals who flew into Israel to make sandwiches for the Israeli soldiers.
My people—or at least they were—Progressive Christians believe their calling is to support Biden—even if his hands are covered in the blood of babies, children, women, and the men of Palestine. Oh, they don’t like the genocide, “but Trump would treat Muslims worse.” I agree Trump is despicable. But what’s worse than genocide? White Progressive Christians have made Biden their idol and they are happy to stand by him as 17,000 children no longer have parents. Shame on us. We are no longer followers of Jesus.
While black and brown people of our nation unify in protests and at seders and in prayer, very few white Christians—conservative or progressive—show up. The hands and feet of Jesus are missing in action. I assure Jesus’ hands and feet are not sending more bombs and aid to Israel. I pray for revival. God is waiting.
And Jesus said, ‘Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
(Luke 12:42-48)
Disorderly Parables 