Many times in the Gospel, Jesus kneels in prayer. For example, when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Gospel reads, He “went down on his knees and prayed...” (Luke 22:41). Catholics mirror this practice by kneeling in prayer as well. In kneeling, we help focus our minds and hearts on God. I recently offered “St. Francis’s Prayer Before the Crucifix”: *Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity, sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out Your holy and true command. Amen*.
The Houston Chronicle published a story on "Muslims in American Society," a course that I guide at Rice University. I am thankful and blessed to work with students who roll with my unconventional approach to fostering understanding & knowledge. Here are a few comments from the promising students: 1). "I learned how similar Islam is to Christianity. They're both Abrahamic faiths. It helped me grow as a person - seeing our connections to other people." 2). "I saw similarities between Judaism and Islam. Seeing that commonality was really important to me." 3). "It's a topic I was relatively uneducated about. The only thing I knew about Muslims or Islam was anything I heard in the media or in my social sphere. I wasn't exposed to the actual experience of people who are Muslim." 4). "We were able to gain a better understanding of who they are as individuals, why they chose Islam and how Islam affected their lives." 5). "Even in our group of five, we can take steps in changing media relations for another community. Our projects are making real contributions. I'm not just learning about things, but I can also make a difference." Thank you to Lindsay Peyton for writing the piece, Pu Ying Huang for the pictures, and of course for the students enrolled in the course.
My journey from Needham High School in Massachusetts to 2019 is a surprising one, to say the least. My ignorance turned to curiosity which in-turn led to a love of knowledge and humanity. I described my path and lived experience yesterday with the bright students of @moravianacademy in Pennsylvania. The students provided a range of questions on freedom of religion, international politics, interfaith dialogue, Islamophobia, and US national identity. The individuals and communities represented in that room are the future cross-cultural navigators of the USA. I believe my home country is in good hands. May God watch over us all.
