Essays in Idleness

The pope and my archbishop have called for a day of prayer, today. They request “all Christians and all people of good will to pray for the people of Israel, Palestine, and the entire region that we know as the Holy Land.”

I am reminded of the days, some years ago when I was parked in Jerusalem, of all the tee-shirts and posters that read, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” If you were a vendor of trinkets for tourists, this message would be prominently displayed in your stall. As seemingly every Palestinian resident of all religions was a salesman of trinkets to tourists, this message was oppressively common.

Hamas slaughters 1,400+ Jews and their guests, and desecrates their bodies; we pray for “peace, peace,” in anticipation of the reply.

My own instruction would be, instead: “Pray for the destruction of Hamas.”