Last Sunday we lit the candle of peace on our advent wreath. Today the world seems as far from that peace as it does from the love candle we will light this week. The rhetoric of violence and exclusion in our national media has risen to a fever pitch, even as trees are decorated and shopping malls are piped full of cheerful Christmas tunes.

Calls for a peaceful pluralism –for respect for people of all faiths or of no faith— are often assumed to reflect the modern innovation of political correctness. But inter-religious expressions of tolerance and friendship have deep and ancient roots.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I listened to a series of lectures by the Franciscan priest Richard Rohr, entitled The Art of Letting Go. Rohr discussed the life of St. Francis of Assisi, the 12th century monk.

Francis lived during the fifth crusade, when political forces aligned with Christianity and those aligned with Islam were fighting for supremacy in the Middle East. In the midst of those dangerous circumstances, Francis traveled to meet with the Sultan of Egypt.

The monk came away from his visit impressed by the faith and devotion of his Muslim brothers. One quote that Rohr included in his account really struck me.

Upon his return to the monastery, Francis told the other monks, “If you find even a page of the Qur’an upon the road, pick it up carefully and place it safely in your home for it is a page of a sacred book.”

I am proud that UCG participates in a long tradition of love and respect across religious lines. Now, more than ever, the voice of those who believe in welcoming “those of differing understanding and theological opinion” needs to be heard. May we be instruments of peace and love this season.

Rev. Vince Amlin