THE CHALLENGE OF RECONCILIATION 

There's no doubt that any time Palestine and Israel are mentioned there are as many opinions as people out there. Having heard both sides, the Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, it's much harder to say that one side is absolutely in the wrong or in the right. What this land represents, in a way, is sinfulness and what the effects of sin can be on people who are dependent on others. Both are dependent on foreign powers, both in their history and in the current political climate. At the same time, both desire independence and autonomy How is sin connected to this? A common element of sin is the desire for power and control. It expresses itself through fear and anger. Sure, we can all look to big things like attacks, but sometimes it helps to see how small things contribute. Things such as animosity, ill-will, name calling, jeering, and mocking all have their place in furthering sin in the world. In this land the conflicts and prejudices of Europe meet the conflicts and prejudices of the Middle East—often times it is those who seek peace that are the most abused.

There is hope in this land. We've spoken to many level-headed people on both sides of the border who recognize that this land suffers from special interests, misunderstanding, and fear. They are working through education to remedy this among the youth of Palestine and Israel, attempting to set aside myth and prejudice in hopes of giving each other a true understanding of the religions and cultures present. In talking with these men and women I can say we all came away impressed.

This is my opinion, but I've been pleasantly surprised by Catholic efforts educating, serving, and working for the people of both Israel and Palestine. Reconciliation, I've seen, is possible through work and prayer. Large wounds heal slowly, but they only heal when they're attended to. This land gives us two lessons: that division can be caused and intensified by simple acts of ignorance or wickedness and healing comes about by simple acts of patience, openness, and charity. This means that it's all within our power here and elsewhere.