Parakalein

I was on my way to meet a friend who had stuck with me in a supportive way during the last many months of my personable "funk".  I was very early and was reminiscing of days long passed when I spoke at the SUNY Campus at a Campus Ministry Meeting.  As I passed the Interfaith Chapel that was not even there those many years ago.  I noticed that the American Red Cross that is everywhere there is a disaster was holding a blood drive.  I figured I could give blood and still make my lunch meeting which was at his office and I was bringing a homemade Tuna, Apple, Cran-raisins,  Pasta, and Dill salad.

I met a few muslims who were there and who had t shirts that said:  "Love for all, Hatred for none" as a them for the American Red Cross asking people to put all differences aside and give blood which we all have and we call can give rather than in bloodshed and violence spilling blood.

I spoke at length to two of the leaders of the Muslim (from Pakistan) group who were trying to change the opinion of many based on the radical and fanatic contingency.  I commented that CHristianity had to distance themselves and even today distance ourselves from the more fanatical and exclusive branch that can over shadow true Christianity.  They commented I was the first Christian to be honest about that bing in our history.  I asked them if they wanted to know a little more American History and told them in case they did not guess I was a kind of history buff!

I proceeded, with their interest growing as I told the following story (it was not 100 % correct but mostly correct and I give it here as I gave it to them without correcting dates etc with more exactness as it was a bout connectivity nor correctness.

In Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address on March 5, 1865, following the hurt and pain of bloodshed on all sides of the civil war, and weeks before he was assassinated on the night that three assassination plots were simultaneously attempted but only one succeeded, and on the heals of the need for healing at all levels and in all sates of the still divided union as war never settles things, Abraham Lincoln the 16th president of the USA stead in his speech the following phrase: "With malice toward none, and Charity toward all" let us bind up our wounds and heal our land.  So similar to "Love toward all, hatred toward none".

They looked shocked.  I am not sure if they were shocked by the symmetry and the parallelism or shocked they coincidentally ran into someone who could tell them that.  They did say they would be giving this report to their leadership team in NYC and they may want to talk to me.  I gave them a business card and by then was ready to give blood which I did.

You guessed it, I missed lunch with my good friend but I did drop lunch off for him and with his secretaries helped put it in his refrigerator for later. We will reschedule for a later time.  He is a good friend and understanding, does not get angry or annoyed, when this things happen which is why he is a "good" friend.