Letters

Beatitude of Rest

Brian Doyle is in good company in his article “The Final Frontier” (January 2016) when he translates “the poor in spirit” as “humble.” George Lamsa’s Holy Bible from the Aramaic of the Peshitta also translates Matthew 5:3 as “Blessed are the humble, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Going deeper, Neil Douglas Klotz, in Prayers of the Cosmos, tells us that the first beatitude in Aramaic is“Tubwayhun l’meskenaee b’rukh d’dilhounie malkutha d’ashmaya.” He says the word meskenaee invokes a solid home base or resting point, and rukh can be translated as spirit, breath, or soul and is related to the cosmic breath of life, rukha d’qoodsha, or Holy Breath. I find that when I am praying or meditating and my breath slows and deepens, I often experience a peacefulness that feels like “the kingdom of heaven.”

Arlene Jech
San Francisco, California

From Coexistence to ‘Co-resistance’

Thank you for “Hope, Postponed” (by Jim Rice, December 2015), a wonderful contribution to the discussion and clearing the air on the Israel-Palestine conflict. You have boldly addressed one of the main third-rail issues. I am grateful beyond words for your clarifying the debate on the source of Palestinian resistance. You have moved us from coexistence to “co-resistance” with a contribution to better understanding, prayer, and action.

But it is my view that your last paragraph is counter to where the debate is moving. Most agree, including in Israel, that the “two state” solution is now nearly impossible, with the government of Israel controlling, with ever-more-vicious military force, 66 percent of tiny Palestine.

May the Lord strengthen the resolve of all of us who love Jews (Israelis) and Arabs (Palestinians) alike in this challenging time.

Thomas R. Getman
Washington, D.C.

Prayerful Action Needed

The most important yet understated point of Jim Wallis’ November column, “The Matthew 25 Test,” was that our politicians are not listening to “the least of these”—the citizens. As long as people of faith do not take action to reclaim our democracy from the corrupting influence of big money, our politicians will continue to subvert the faithful citizens’ constitutional authority to be represented.

Under the current crony capitalism system, our ability as people of faith to respond appropriately to the needs of “the least of these” will continue to be overwhelmed as more Americans are pushed into poverty through lack of opportunity. Nor will our nation address climate change as solicited in the article.

The suffrage and civil rights movements would not have succeeded if not for the strong participation of faith congregations and their members. We must again have a dream and prayerfully act to make it a reality.

George Penn
Madison, Wisconsin