Justice, Yes! Retaliation, No!

To the Editor:

During these days of atonement for our own sins and shortcomings, we have been given an opportunity to share a major witness with the people of the world. In the wake of the September 11 tragedy, we can use our “outer power” to refrain from the temptation to act in an equally inhumane manner as they.

This past Sunday, a group of us local ministers gathered at the Islamic Center for Western Connecticut, in Danbury. It was a time for prayer, reflection on the Quran (a Moslem Holy Book), and for a sharing of understanding and intercultural support.

On the local level, we beseech those bent on physically or verbally attacking people of the Moslem faith, people who are Arabic (or even appear to be such) or anyone associating with them, to get on your knees and ask your God and theirs for forgiveness. On a more global level, we encourage our government leaders to continue their path of widespread intelligence, information gathering, and coalition building in order to seek out and bring to justice those responsible for the murders of so many and the destruction of buildings and families.

At the same time, we do not condone indiscriminate bombing of innocent civilians (anymore than what happened to our own people). The gift of discernment is so needed at this time and we ask that you join us in our prayer for such. The recent interfaith services, both here and in Danbury, are healthy signs that we are on the right track. At the latter service, we celebrated in St Peter Church, Danbury, along with Jews, Christians of all persuasions, Muslims, Buddhists and other unidentified communities to ask for God’s blessing of all His/Her children and that we might continue to treat one another as family. Psalm 44 tells us: “Ride on triumphant in the cause of truth and for the sake of justice; and may your right hand show you wondrous deeds.”

The Rev Leo McIlrath

Corpus Christi; a catholic community

3 Sugarloaf Road, Sandy Hook                                     October 3, 2001