Seventeen days ago, I began a fast for peace when Israeli troops entered the Gaza Strip. Today, I am ending the fast, as fighting has stopped and most if not all the troops have left Gaza.

This is a fragile ceasefire at best -- and perhaps one of the strangest in the history of human conflict. Each side has declared a unilateral ceasefire on its own terms, while refusing to talk to the other or acknowledge the other’s terms.

Both Israel and Hamas have also declared victory.

But any security Israel may have gained by diminishing Hamas’ military capacity and by receiving new U.S. assurances of assistance, has been more than offset by its loss of international standing. And by the political drubbing that Israel has taken among Arab and Muslim nations, whose anger is palpable.

And any prestige that Hamas may have gained by surviving one of the world’s most formidable military powers, has been more than offset by the crushing loss of civilian lives, homes and infrastructure in Gaza. Today, Gazans are sifting numbly through the rubble, counting and mourning their losses.

This war has no winners, save those who manufacture weapons.

I have few illusions that the ceasefire will last long – and even fewer illusions that any root causes of this conflict have been addressed.

Still, for today, no bombs and rockets is preferable to the carnage of the past three weeks.

This week has held an interesting confluence of events. A war has ended in Gaza (at least for now). We have celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the legacy of his dream. And the United States is inaugurating its first African American president.

The Common Lectionary readings for this coming Sunday speak of cosmic changes in human history. Paul writes that “the present form of this world is passing away” (I Cor. 7:31). In the Gospel reading, Jesus promises, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news” (Mk. 1:15).

The events of this week are perhaps not cosmic. But they are significant. And they hold for us hopeful and important lessons.

Dr. King taught us to dream, and dream we must. With time, things do change as we witnessed today with the inauguration of a new U.S. president, whom the electorate has judged by the content of his character, rather than by the color of his skin.

Even so, occupation and economic siege will not last forever. They cannot, for they cannot withstand the piercing light of God’s justice. Some day the Palestinian people will be free to determine their own future. Some day, Palestinians and Israelis will share this land in peace and security.

That day may be years away, but it will come.

Some day, Israel and Hamas will talk face-to-face and commit to a common future built on justice and peace. I pray that day is soon.

Epiphany II (January 18, 2009)
Common Lectionary Readings:
I Sam. 3:1-10; Ps. 139; I Cor. 6:12-20; John 1:43-51

January 17, 2009

An open letter to the Christian church

This is the 14th day of my fast for peace. There are signs that a ceasefire is near, but the terms are not likely to satisfy both sides. And a ceasefire is only the first step toward a just and durable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The past 21 days of intense violence have only added to a long history of grievances.

The three-week toll is staggering. The war has killed hundreds of children, mothers and fathers. The war has damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and decimated Gaza’s infrastructure. The war has planted millions of seeds of hatred and mistrust.

There has been plenty of finger pointing. Israelis blame Hamas for the fear in southern Israel and the suffering in Gaza. “We had no choice,” Israeli leaders say. Hamas blames Israel for the suffocating economic siege on the Gaza Strip and for its recent military massacre that violated international law. Neither side seems willing or able to take responsibility for their own contributions to this disaster.

Fasting is a time of soul searching. It offers an opportunity to look deep within and to own our part in the world’s suffering and pain. During times of fasting I become acutely aware of the seeds of hatred and violence that have taken root within me.

As we gather this weekend in houses of worship around the world, let it be an opportunity for us to reflect on and repent of the ways we as a Christian community have contributed to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- through centuries of anti-Semitism and a more recent embrace of Christian Zionist theology.

In his book, Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews, James Carroll chronicles the shameful Christian history of mistreating Jews. Across the centuries, Christians perpetrated pogroms against the Jewish community. Prominent church leaders like Martin Luther called for the burning of synagogues and defined Jews as “the born enemy of the German Christian.” Many Christians stood silent during the Holocaust. According to Carroll, “Support of Hitler was not only allowed to Catholics, but was required of them.” Christians have contributed to the insecurity that many Jewish Israelis feel. We must own that.

Many Christians have equally contributed to the plight of the Palestinians by buying into a theology of Christian Zionism. Seeing the return of the Jewish people to historic Palestine as a prerequisite for the return of Christ, some Christians have thrown their uncritical support behind the Israeli government – no matter how abusive its policies have been. We have watched in silence as our Palestinian sisters and brothers – both Christian and Muslim – have suffered under years of occupation and oppression.

Indeed, it is possible that the current crisis in Gaza would not have happened had it not been for these sad mistakes of history. Had the church truly been salt and light, had the church truly treated all peoples as created in God’s image and therefore precious in God’s sight, just perhaps we would not be in this mess today. Let the Christian church be the first to stand up, take responsibility and repent.

The Common Lectionary readings for this Sunday focus on searching. God seeks out the young Samuel to be a new prophetic voice (I Sam. 3:1-10). Jesus seeks followers, who in turn look for more followers (John 1:43-51). Paul searches for how to balance Christian freedoms with Christian responsibilities (I Cor. 6:12-20). And the psalmist begs God to search his heart and root out that which is hurtful (Ps. 139:23-24).

As we gather this week to worship and pray for peace, let it also be a time of soul searching. With the psalmist, let our prayer be: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24).

J. Daryl Byler
Amman, Jordan

January 13, 2009

Dear President-Elect Obama:

My prayers are with you as you prepare to assume the Office of President of the United States one week from today. May God give you wisdom and courage for the many difficult challenges you will face.

Obviously, one immediate foreign policy test will be the current military and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

I am a U.S. citizen working for a Christian humanitarian organization in the Middle East. The state of affairs in Gaza is urgent. It has immense implications for the region and for the United States. Today is the 10th day of my fast for peace, which I began at the time of Israel’s ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. I plan to continue fasting until this unconscionable situation ends.

Hopefully, by the day you take office, a ceasefire will be in place. But even if it is, there will be much work ahead to assure a just and durable peace that will lead to long-term security for both Palestinians and Israelis.

You campaigned on a theme of change. I plead with you to change the U.S. approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

For too long, the United States has looked at this issue primarily through the lens of terrorism – specifically, that Israel is the victim of Palestinian terrorism. For example, with the current crisis in Gaza, the Bush administration has taken the position that Hamas is the sole provocateur and that, if Hamas would only stop firing rockets into southern Israel, peace would prevail and all would be well.

Israelis should not need to live in fear. Acts of terror by Hamas and other groups are unacceptable and should be soundly condemned. Still, Hamas is not the whole picture or the sole problem. Ironically, Israel once supported the development of Hamas as a counter-balance to the PLO.

It is time to re-frame this issue. I encourage you to read American-Israeli author Jeff Halper’s book, An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel.

One cannot understand the current reality in Gaza without understanding Israel’s 18-month-long suffocating economic siege of Gaza; or Israel’s 42-year-long occupation of the West Bank; or Israel’s dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes in 1948 and again in 1967; or Israel’s ongoing violation of international law by constructing settlements, by-pass roads and a massive separation wall on Palestinian lands. And yet, the United States seemingly turns a blind eye and continues to heap praise on Israel as a shining democracy.

I beg you to take a fresh look at this issue and chart a new course. The current approach is not working. It is making Israelis less secure. It is causing Palestinians to suffer. And it is badly damaging the U.S. image throughout this region.

Failure to constructively resolve this issue will make it impossible to address other issues in the region that I know are important to you -- Iraq and U.S.-Iranian relations.

Of course the United States will remain a strong friend of Israel. But what good friend fails to challenge behaviors that are self-destructive and harmful to others?

There will be powerful forces that seek to stop you from altering the U.S. approach to this conflict. I pray that God will give you courage to do so in spite of strong opposition.

Sincerely,

J. Daryl Byler
Amman, Jordan

January 11, 2009

Dear Prime Minister Olmert:

You have been in my prayers during this time of war. The weight of your high office must feel especially heavy at a time like this.

For eight days now -- since the Israeli ground incursion of Gaza, January 3 -- I have been fasting for peace. I plan to continue fasting until the war stops.

I write humbly as a Christian, painfully aware of my faith community’s centuries-long mistreatment of Jews, and the indefensible silence of many Christians during the Holocaust.

I write humbly as an American, agonizingly aware of my own nation’s historic occupation of Native peoples and more recent occupation of the people of Iraq.

And yet I write boldly as a fellow human being, begging you to learn from these terrible mistakes of history.

In a candid moment after announcing your resignation as Prime Minister several months ago, you said that, to achieve a durable peace with Palestinians, Israel would need to end the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. You used strong words to condemn the traditional Israeli defense strategists: “With them, it is all about tanks and land and controlling territories . . . and this hilltop and that hilltop. All these things are worthless.”

Why now this war on Gaza?

Frankly, I don’t believe that “Operation Cast Lead” can be justified on moral, legal or strategic grounds.

Morally, how is it possible to justify a military battle in which Israel attacks an imprisoned civilian population? The vast majority of Gazans are already refugees. This time, there is no place left to flee.

Legally, under well-established principles of international humanitarian and human rights law, Israel has a special duty to protect the rights and well-being of the citizens of Gaza. While Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005, it is still effectively an occupying power – with tight control of Gaza’s borders, coastline and airspace. Not only are Gaza’s women and children being killed by the hundreds -- but humanitarian agencies that are seeking to help civilians have been targeted as well.

Strategically, how will this military assault make Israel safer? It is possible that, for the short-term, Israel may diminish Hamas’ capacity to fire rockets into Israel. But in the long-term, Israel’s overwhelming show of force is only likely to create more enemies. That was certainly one lesson from the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

I understand that your cabinet is debating whether or not to escalate the fighting in Gaza. Already, more nearly 900 Palestinians and 13 Israelis have already been killed. Thousands more have been injured. Instead of moving to “Phase III” – which will almost certainly lead to massive casualties for both Israelis and Palestinians -- I implore you to end this war today.

I appeal to you to talk directly with the leaders of Hamas. It is clear that there are serious philosophical and political differences. Without a doubt, Hamas should stop firing rockets at Israel. But until face-to-face encounters begin and differences are dealt with, there will not be a secure future for either Israelis or Palestinians.

Several months ago, you said: “We face the need to decide but are not willing to tell ourselves, yes, this is what we have to do. We have to reach an agreement with the Palestinians . . .” Today, I pray that you will have the courage to make an agreement with Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Let peace be your legacy, not war.

Sincerely,

J. Daryl Byler
Amman, Jordan

Epiphany 1 (January 11, 2009)
Common Lectionary Readings:
Gen. 1:1-5; Ps. 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

This week in Amman, the Jordan YWCA organized a vigil for Gaza. Hundreds showed up to pray, sing and light candles for peace. The fighting is in its 15th day and the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire.

At the request of Mennonite Church USA staff, we wrote the following prayer for peace, based on this week’s Common Lectionary readings. As of Jan. 10, Daryl is in the 7th day of a fast for peace, calling on leaders to immediately end the violence (see Jan. 6 posting below).

A prayer for peace during a time of war

Candles at YWCA vigil

God whose voice spoke, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3) –
Let your overcoming light scatter the violence that darkens Gaza and Israel;
Let your guiding light give wisdom to leaders who seek for peace;
Let your healing light envelop the wounds of war and restore wholeness to body and mind and spirit.

God whose voice is powerful and full of majesty (Ps. 29:4) –
Open our ears to hear your Word;
Open our eyes to see your glory;
Open our hearts to humbly walk in your way of justice and peace.

God whose voice spoke, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11) –
Make us secure in knowing that we are your dearly-loved children;
Make us confident in our calling as your ambassadors of reconciliation;
Make us steadfast in loving others as you have loved us.

God whose Spirit empowers us to speak words of truth (Acts 19:6) –
Give courage to our timid spirits;
Fill us with fresh passion for peace;
Make us bold to stand up for what is just and right and true.

God who separated the light from the darkness, God who called the light good (Gen. 1:4), make us to walk in your light. Be well pleased with all your children. Amen

January 6, 2009

Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister of Israel
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority
Khaled Mashal, Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau
George W. Bush, President of the United States

Dear Prime Minister Olmert, President Abbas, Chairman Mashal and President Bush:

The current situation in the Gaza is unconscionable. Some 1.5 million civilians are trapped in a tiny strip of land -- while bombs fall from the sky and proud leaders refuse to talk to one another.

You are all political leaders – charged with the responsibility for diplomacy. The time for pointing fingers has long passed. The time for talking face-to-face is now -- not after this or that condition is first met. In the name of God who created us as one family, I beg you to stop this insanity and to recognize the common humanity that binds us together in spite of our differences. There are Arab and European leaders who stand ready to facilitate your conversations.

The escalating violence threatens the security and peace of all peoples in the region. I appeal to you to do everything in your power to stop the killing, respond to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Violence and terror are wrong in all their forms. Palestinians should not live under military occupation or economic siege, nor have their lands taken for illegal Israeli settlements. Israeli mothers should not live in fear of Hamas rocket or suicide bomb attacks. Children in Gaza should not be subject to Israeli artillery, bomb, missile and rocket attacks – all fired in the name of stopping rocket attacks! This is an absurd and lose-lose cycle of violence. No one will win this high-stakes game.

I am a U.S. citizen currently working for an international humanitarian agency in the Middle East. Three days ago, I began a liquids-only fast. I plan to continue fasting until this warring madness stops. I pray that you will have the courage to act now for peace.

J. Daryl Byler
Amman, Jordan

Christmas 2 (January 4, 2009)
Common Lectionary Readings:
Jer. 31:7-14; Ps.147:12-20; Eph. 1:3-14; John 1:10-18

We welcomed the New Year in Amman with a gathering of international colleagues who are all working on Iraq issues.

The violence between Israel and Hamas continued this week. More than 400 Palestinians have been killed and another 2,000 injured by Israeli bombing of Gaza. Four Israelis have been killed by rockets launched by Hamas. Many fear that an Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip is imminent, especially after many international workers were evacuated from Gaza on Friday.

Smoke rises over Gaza, as fighting between Israel and Hamas enters a second week (Getty Images photo).

The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip – home to some 1.5 million Palestinians – has reached new levels of despair. MCC has responded with an immediate cash contribution for local purchase of food and material resources.

The UN estimates that more than 400 Gazans have been killed and more than 2,000 injured in the fighting (AFP photo).

The Common Lectionary readings this week focus on God’s grace and redemption – timely themes as we consider the world in which we live.

The prophet Jeremiah says that God’s people “found grace in the wilderness” during their time of exile (Jer. 31:2). God will gather those who have been scattered and be their shepherd (v.10). God will turn their mourning to joy (v.13c) and will comfort (v.13d) and satisfy them (v.14).

The psalmist declares that God is gracious and a song of praise is befitting (Ps. 147:1). This gracious God gathers the outcasts (v.2b), heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds (v.3), lifts up the downtrodden (v.6a), casts the wicked to the ground (v.6b), prepares rain for the earth (v.8), blesses our children (v.13), grants peace within our borders (v.14a) and provides food for us to eat (v.14b).

In the Epistle reading, Paul writes that God has freely bestowed and lavished grace upon us (Eph. 1:6-8). God does so by redeeming us (v.7), revealing the mystery of God’s will to us (v.9), offering us an inheritance as God’s children (v.11) and giving us the Holy Spirit as a pledge of what is yet to come (vv. 13-14).

In the Gospel reading, John writes that Christ is full of grace and truth (John 1:14) and that “From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (v.16).

As we mark the transition from 2008 to 2009, it is easy, almost unavoidable, to focus on the difficulties, problems and suffering of so many in this region and around the world.

Too often, the news headlines focus on the utter lack of grace in the human community – violence, oppression, cruelty and selfishness. The Common Lectionary readings remind us of the importance of seeing beneath these headlines to the real work that God is doing in the world. God is present, redeeming and restoring. God is extending grace upon grace.

Will we be part of God’s activity? We cannot extend grace until we have received it. We cannot receive grace until we recognize our need for it.