Prayer Multi-Interfaith Vigil from the White House, Calling for a Ceasefire

People from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions around the world are coming together to cry for peace. Some say cease-fire, some say a “cessation of hostilities,” some say humanitarian pause. Some just say, “Stop for the babies!” But the world is experiencing a kind of Pentecost as people cry out in different tongues with a unified call to end the violence.

Judaism teaches through the prophet Amos that God hears a united remnant against injustice.

Islam teaches that “God is with the group.”

And Jesus prayed that we all might be One, even as he and his Father are One.

There is power in the unified cry of faithful people.

Our faith traditions share moral convictions that ground us in this moment.

We believe that every human being is created in the image of God. Both the Talmud and Islamic teachings say that. To save a single life is to save all humanity, and Jesus extends the law of love to kin and neighbors, even to those who are our enemies. Together, we believe that every Israeli life is precious; every Palestinian life is precious; every single life is precious.

We also share the conviction that vengeance belongs to the Lord.

Our traditions share a commitment to justice, especially to those who are weak and vulnerable in this world. Whenever there is an imbalance of power, God hears the cries of those who are suffering.

While people are oppressed, people have a right a God-given right to liberation and Justice. God does not give the right to kill, kidnap or destroy innocent life. It does not give that right. To put under the banner or shield of liberation. Governments may have a right and duty to security, but God does not give that right to destroy, to kill in the name of security, babies and children and women.

My own African American descent, the slaves knew, the slaves knew that those who as people who had been oppressed, we must have a certain kind of restraint, less we become the very thing we claim we defy. We can not become the monsters that we defy. No government knows enough to become the ultimate arbiter of justice. Finally, because of these shared convictions and our knowledge that a “three-fold chord is not easily broken,” we join our voices with Jews and Christians and Muslims around the world who are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the safe return of all hostages and civilian prisoners and to stop the killing.

Jews in Israel who are standing up to the Netanhayu Government. Palestinians who are standing up to Hamas, and saying “No, No you do not represent us with this kind of violence! No, we will not stand by and allow unjust war tactics. The killing of babies, women, and children and making people shields, no no no no!

And finally, we pray for a just peace and a future where God’s children can dwell together and share power.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love, and I know that sounds trite, but what we can not afford, we can not be afraid to speak of love—even against the vicious powers of war and evil. It’s not weak or sentimental; it is the only hope. Love for Palestinians; love for Jews; love for those who face Islamophobia, Love for those who face antisemitism, love for those who face racism and classicism, and homophobia and who are poor. Love for those who are made in the image of God.

We must ask of every policy: is it rooted in love? If it’s not rooted in love, then with truth rooted in love, we must challenge it. God demands that we must challenge it, if we love God’s creation if we love redemption, if we love all people, if we love Jews, Christians, and Muslims, we must stand together again against the politics of terrorism and the politics of power, the politics of greed, the politics of poverty, we must say, We will love, love! that’s our witness, that’s our hope, that’s our cry, that’s our stance and we will never give up on it.

What the world really needs now is a coalition of love