"Jerusalem Journey: Walking in Faith"
Lisa Venable
Sunday, August 4th, 2002

Good morning. In May, I went to Jerusalem on a peace mission. I went with great hope that peace is possible between the Israelis and Palestinians. Some thought I was crazy to travel as a US citizen to the Middle East to create peace! Leave it to the government, leave it the military, leave it to the politicians! I told them I would rather leave it to God.

It is a terrible situation over there and no one can seem to find a solution. But the solutions they are looking at use politics and force, neither of which will get at the root cause of the problem. These solutions are band-aids.

I went because I love human life and I cannot continue to watch suffering when I know of another way. The Spiritual Way. The way of human understanding, acceptance and compassion. The way of LOVE. I found myself saying to God one week, “why isn’t anyone going over there to talk about love? A week later, a friend heard me say this who just happened to know about a peace gathering in Jerusalem the end of May. Within 24 hours of receiving this information, I had raised half the money from donations to make the journey and within a week, more than the full amount! I was on my way.

I had lofty dreams of getting Sharon and Arafat in the same room and get them to look into each others eyes and see their common humanity, but I couldn’t seem to locate them. I guess God had other plans for me. I felt I was simply to BE LOVE in a land where judgment and fear prevail. So, I walked the streets of Jerusalem, with God at my side in complete faith in the power of love.

I went through the old city and the West Bank in total trust and drew to me only loving people. I got lost in the Arab quarter and encountered nothing but kindness and help. They all knew I was American yet saw my trust and love for them shining in my eyes. I prayed all night in the Dead Sea desert near men who had just been released from a Palestinian prison and were waiting until daylight to cross the border. I always looked brightly at everyone and carried no fear. It’s called the Law of Attraction - you receive back what you put out. I walked in faith and faith guided my way. For 2 days I traveled around on my own with no tour guide and then was wonderfully gifted by God with a Palestinian elder who took me to incredible places to pray and showed me a great hospitality.

I met many people who believed in unity and wanted harmony. I hooked up with this small peace conference and was on one of the panels with other spiritual teachers. We shared our ideas and simply supported each other. Israelis and Palestinians were both at the same table wanting to be one family.

There was no media coverage, no big hub bub. But all of the people, in their own small way were contributing to holding the space for peace in the Holy Land. We all pretty much came to the conclusion that it was time to stop the “US/THEM” story. Even the Jewish and Arab children who came said the answer was one continent with no borders and they should go to school together so they could learn to live in unconditional acceptance. For what separates not only the Israelis from the Palestinians, but all of us, is judgment. We think if we could only get them to change or be like us - then our problems would be solved!

For instance, I could stand up here and tell you the PALESTINIANS have a BUM Deal We could talk about how awful those Israelis are being, but would that change ANYTHING?

I could say, STOP THE MILITARY ACTION! But What WOULD THAT Do? I have been saying that for years and so have all of you.

I could say, “KILL THOSE EVIL PEOPLE” And if we did, would that change anything? It hasn’t so far.

We love to talk about the “others” or how they should solve it! It might make us feel good but nothing really changes. Recently, I heard a quote by the late Korey Stringer of the MN Vikings…Let’s not talk about it, Let’s BE about it!

It is not about “Change those evil people, or those Israeli’s or those Palestinians or whomever we are thinking is the bad guy” - that’s TALK!!

Let’s not talk about others. Let’s not talk about peace. Let’s BE IT! Be what you CHOOSE TO SEE! So whatever you wish to see in someone else, BE IT IN YOURSELF. If you want peace in the world, BE Peace in yourself. SO, then of course the question becomes… How? One word: LOVE

I went to Israel because I have complete Faith that LOVE PREVAILS ----because love is the most powerful force in the universe. Love is what God is. And, God always wins.

If a suicide bomber kills, the first reaction for many is to get him back! We “denounce” the violence. But, the love within us asks “why?” Why did he do it? What is her fear? How can I understand that and find a place where we can come together? So often I hear - “Let’s have the courage to fight back!” But real courage is when we are able to peacefully solve a problem by addressing its cause and then transforming it.

Maybe the grand purpose of all of our so-called “differences” is so we can find our one-ness and practice love. The real question becomes are we brave enough to choose love and kindness over judgment? Are we courageous enough to love the Jew, the Muslim, the Christian? The democrat, the republican, the liberal or the conservative? The Arab, the American, the African, the Asian?

Through our judgments, we have taught ourselves to be in such fear of one another. By clinging to one religion or one way of anything, we set ourselves up for separation and eternal conflict.

We go around in this conflict because we believe somehow there is only ONE RIGHT WAY! This is what perpetuates our judgment and fear. Christ showed us a way to change this. Through LOVE - accepting others and ourselves EXACTLY AS IS.

Lisa you have this innocence, a sort of naivete with this love stuff. Well, through innocence I know Love. And that’s because love is about innocence.

For real Love is when judgment and punishment cease. Real love is not about approval. That’s where we are stuck. Love is about complete acceptance and through that, people change.

Remember the Mary Magdalene story? ( He offered her love….not shame or punishment) If someone, including ourselves, doesn’t act rightly, we want to punish him or her.

The Jews have been judged and persecuted for all of time. Now they persecute The Arabs have been judged and persecuted- Now they fight back. And, let me tell you folks, when people don’t feel love, acceptance and support - they hurt others. Do you see the how the cycle of punishment doesn’t change anything?

What if love became the consequence for negative behavior instead of punishment?

If someone wrongs us or another, loving them up is what will heal them.

ACCEPTING THEM WHEREVER THEY ARE AT ON THEIR JOURNEY! And, their JOURNEY may be that they are in hate, fear or suffering and are acting from that place. Love them. Punishment only creates more of the same behavior. The heart cannot move to love when it is full of shame.

The US/THEM story separates us. The more we separate, the more fear we have. The more fear we have, the more hate grows. The Palestinian is not the Israelis enemy - they are his brothers. The terrorist is not our enemy- they are our brothers. Fear is our enemy. Hate is our sword. When we strike back, we have no faith, no love, and no trust in God. We keep using fear. We keep doubting love.

How would you feel if you didn’t have to worry about ONE RIGHT WAY? And, if everyone was embraced for their “truth” as a way that works for them. And, if we or another acts in hurtful ways we offer understanding- for that is what will help them heal. Just like Mary Magdalene. One of the most powerful things I heard - UNITY WITHIN DIVERSITY GOD CREATED LOTS OF FRUITS -sit down together and eat them.

So what part can we play in creating peace? Find our unity with every person we meet, and practice love. One of the most powerful ways to do this is to look deeply into the eyes of one who is different or whom you have conflict with. When YOU can look into ANOTHER’S eyes, YOU CAN SEE THEIR SOUL. WHEN YOU SEE ANOTHER’S SOUL YOU REALIZE THAT YOU COME FROM the same heart, the same God. You will see beyond differences, BEYOND JUDGMENT and see the truth that unites you. Let each of us, for more than a second, look into the eyes of another human being and see beyond them to the divine inside.

So, when you see something you don’t like in yourself or another, do what Christ would have done. Love them. Or, Punish them, judge them. In time, they will do it again or live with such shame that they will act the same again.

Spend time with God and you will know love. Acceptance, compassion and human understanding will become your attitudes instead of judgment, fear, and punishment.

I heard a wonderful quote from one of the Muslim holy men at the peace gathering. By the way - Arabs are beautiful people…..

They praise God all the time and say how important it is to carve God into your heart. “Whomever destroys his own heart thru judgment destroys the whole world. Put God in your heart then the whole world will be pure. It is not one who can conquer others, but one who can conquer the heart that wins.”

So, Be love in your heart, in your prayers and thoughts. You CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Don’t be discouraged by these events and ones to come. Keep growing your own heart. It will spread across this town, this country, and throughout the whole world for there is nothing more powerful that love.
Start today. It is not naïve. It is real. It is from the heart. What can be more real than that?

Love to you all! Thank you.