29 days till the BIRTH of CHRIST,

and 4 days till the beginning of the ADVENT season.

“HO, HO , HO-ly God, We Praise Thy Name!”

Quote of the Day:

 The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

 

Today’s Meditation:

The Canticle of the Sun by Francis of Assisi (day 9 of 14):

… Be praised, my Lord [Jesus], through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs. …

On reading this, I can’t help but think of the beautiful stories of creation from Genesis.  I picture God making all creation, and then strolling through the garden, with Adam & Eve.  With an easy conversation between the three of them; they are lightly touching the plants, and stroking the heads and backs of the animals: the three of them smiling and laughing at the majesty and beauty of what God had created for us. 

God created all the animals and plants for our use.  It disappoints me that most humans abuse this gift, and responsibility.  We are slowly destroying our resources, and I believe God is not happy.  He will not stop us though, because He gave us a ’free will.’  The quote, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature’” is true.

I pray we learn from our mistakes and selfishness.  Please Lord, help us to find our way to be good stewards of this precious gift you gave us – the earth, and its resources.  Amen.

The full text of “The Canticle of the Sun” can be found at many web sites

including: http://www.poverello-society.org/prayer_canticle.htm.

 

Pax et Bonum

Dan Halley, SFO

*****

 

Franciscan Saint of the Day:  Bl. Elizabeth of Reute, virgin, III Ord

Elizabeth was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, born 25 November, 1386, at Waldsee in Swabia, of John and Anne Acheer; died 25 November, 1420.

From her earliest days “the good Betha”, as she was called, showed a rare piety.  When fourteen she received the habit of the third order, but continued to live at home. Finding the life uncongenial, she secured the consent of her parents after long entreaties to leave home.   Receiving no support from them she remained at the house of a pious tertiary, and the two worked at weaving; but the remuneration was small and they frequently suffered from hunger and other privations. After three years Conrad Kugelin established a house for tertiaries at Reute on the outskirts of Waldsee and Elizabeth entered it together with some others.

Here she took up her work in the kitchen, and now began her wonderful life of seclusion, fasting, and prayer. There was no clausura at the convent, still she led so retired a life that she was called “the Recluse.” She spent many hours in a little garden, kneeling on a stone or prostrate on the ground in contemplation.  So pure was her life that her confessor could scarcely find matter for absolution. She had much to suffer from attacks of the evil spirit, from suspicions of her sisters in religion, from leprosy, and other sicknesses, but in all her trials she showed a heavenly patience. This she learned from the Passion of Christ, which she made the continual subject of meditation, the object of her love, and the rule of her life.

In consequence God permitted her to bear the marks of the Passion on her body; her head often showed the marks of the Thorns, and her body those of the Scourging. The stigmata appeared only now and then, but her pains never ceased. She was shown the happiness of the blessed and the souls in the state of purgation; the secrets of hearts and of the future were unveiled to her.

She foretold the election of Martin V and the end of the Western Schism. Though so much favoured by Divine Providence she always preserved a great humility. After her death she was buried in the church of Reute. Her life was written by her confessor and sent to the Bishop of Constance, but it was only after 1623, when her tomb was opened by the provost of Waldsee, that her popular veneration spread in Swabia. After several miracles had been wrought through her intercession the Holy See was asked to ratify her cult. This was done 19 June, 1766, by Clement XIII. The Franciscans celebrate her feast on 25 November. (from Catholic Encyclopedia). Please note that many Tertiaries in those days lived together in a fashion similar to a convent or monastery. Even in Europe until the mid-1950’s, these community houses existed, at least in the Netherlands /FSS.

 (From http://www.franciscan-sfo.org website)

 

Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) Rule #25:

Regarding expenses necessary for the life of the fraternity and the needs of worship, of the apostolate, and of charity, all the brothers and sisters should offer a contribution according to their means. Local fraternities should contribute toward the expenses of the higher fraternity councils.

Among the hills, when you sit in the cool shade of the white poplars, sharing the peace and serenity of distant fields and meadows – then let your heart say in silence;

“God rests in reason.”

And when the storm comes, and the mighty wind shakes the forest, and thunder and lightning proclaim the majesty of the sky, – then let your heart say in awe;

“God moves in passion.”

And since you are a breath in God’s sphere, and a leaf in God’s forest, you too should rest in reason and move in passion

Khalil Gibran

To απόσπασμα που ακολουθεί είναι από μια ομιλία που έδωσε ο μεγάλος Ινδός στοχαστής και πνευματικός δάσκαλος Τζιντού Κρισναμούρτι (1895 – 1986). Στην ομιλία αυτή ο Κρισναμούρτι αναφέρεται στη φύση του φόβου, στη σχέση του με τον χρόνο και στις πιθανότητες που υπάρχουν να απελευθερωθεί ο άνθρωπος από αυτόν.

 

Λέει λοιπόν ο Κρισναμούρτι :

Ο φόβος υπάρχει όχι μόνο σε συνειδητό επίπεδο, αλλά και βαθιά στο υποσυνείδητο. Υπάρχει ο φόβος που μας είναι οικείος και τον οποίο έχουμε συνηθίσει. Υπάρχει επίσης ο βαθύτερος φόβος, ο κρυμμένος, ο καλυμμένος. Είναι δυνατόν να απελευθερωθούμε από όλους μας τους φόβους; Για να το καταλάβουμε αυτό, πρέπει να κατανοήσουμε ολόκληρο το περιεχόμενο της συνειδητότητας. Πρέπει να κατανοήσουμε τη συνειδητότητα όχι σε σχέση με κάποιον – είτε αυτός είναι άγιος, δάσκαλος ή οτιδήποτε άλλο.

Πρέπει να κατανοήσουμε, ο καθένας για τον εαυτό του, τη συνειδητότητα που «είμαι εγώ» – όχι σε σχέση με ό,τι έχω μάθει από κάποιο βιβλίο ή από αυτά που μου έχουν πει. Για να γίνει όμως αυτό πρέπει να παρατηρήσω τον εαυτό μου. Εχουμε χωρίσει την συνειδητότητα σε επιφανειακή και κρυμμένη. Η επιφανειακή είναι ο εκπαιδευμένος νους – κάποιος πηγαίνει στη δουλειά όσο κι αν βαριέται, διαβάζει εφημερίδες και αντιδρά στα ερεθίσματα που δέχεται. Αυτός είναι ο επιφανειακός νους. Από την άλλη υπάρχει ο κρυμμένος νους. Ο νους αυτός είναι όλα τα λανθάνοντα στοιχεία του παρελθόντος. Ορισμένα από αυτά τα κομμάτια είναι ξύπνια, άλλα όχι.

Τώρα, πως αντιμετωπίζουμε τους επιφανειακούς φόβους; Συνήθως με διάφορους τρόπους : είτε το ρίχνουμε στο αλκοόλ, είτε πηγαίνουμε στην εκκλησία, είτε επαναλαμβάνουμε ένα μάντρα(σημ. μικρή προσευχή) ή διαβάζουμε ένα βιβλίο. Αυτό που δεν καταλαβαίνουμε είναι πως όλα αυτά – το διάβασμα ενός βιβλίου, η επίσκεψη σε μια εκκλησία ή το αλκοόλ – είναι το ίδιο, διότι όλοι αυτοί οι τρόπου είναι τρόποι διαφυγής από τους φόβους τους οποίους γνωρίζουμε ότι υπάρχουν. Το επόμενο βήμα είναι να εξοικειωθούμε με το υποσυνείδητο, με το οποίο δεν είμαστε καθόλου εξοικειωμένοι κι αυτό είναι δύσκολο.

Για να το καταφέρουμε αυτό, για να γνωρίσουμε το περιεχόμενο του υποσυνειδήτου μας χρειάζεται ένα είδος προσοχής, ένα είδος εντατικής παρατήρησης που δεν αναλύει, δεν επικρίνει, δεν απολογείται, δεν εξηγεί – απλώς παρατηρεί με προσοχή. Στην προσοχή υπάρχει μια παντελής κενότητα, ειδάλλως δεν μπορεί κανείς να προσέξει. Ο συνειδητός νους δεν πρέπει να αναζητά κάποιο αποτέλεσμα, δεν πρέπει να επιθυμεί την αλλαγή αυτού που παρατηρεί, δεν πρέπει να προσπαθεί να το ερμηνεύσει σύμφωνα με όσα του αρέσουν ή όσα τον δυσαρεστούν. Πρέπει να είναι «ξύπνιος, χωρίς προκατάληψη», να είναι σε μια μη ερμηνευτική, μη επικριτική κατάσταση. Ο συνειδητός νους απλά παρατηρεί. Τότε, τι ακριβώς είναι το υποσυνείδητο;

Είναι το παρελθόν με όλες του τις παραδόσεις και τις αξίες – όχι μόνο τις εμπειρίες του παρόντος, αλλά τις εμπειρίες, τη γνώση, τις αξίες αιώνων και αιώνων ανθρώπινης ιστορίας – διότι ο καθένας μας είναι το αποτέλεσμα όλων των ανθρώπων κι όχι απλά μόνο ένας άνθρωπος. Το υποσυνείδητο είναι ολόκληρη η προσπάθεια της ύπαρξης του ανθρώπου, οι συγκρούσεις του, οι ελπίδες του , οι φόβοι του, οι απογοητεύσεις του. Όλα αυτά απηχούν το συλλογικό ασυνείδητο μέσω των κινήτρων, των παρορμήσεων, των κρυμμένων μυστικών του νου του ατόμου. Των μυστικών που ο συνειδητός νους αγνοεί παντελώς και τα οποία περιστασιακά, μέσω ονείρων, έρχονται στο φως.

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“I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties…So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”

“Wisdom begins in wonder.” –Socrates

Even as He spoke, many put their faith in Him.

To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said,  “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

I never noticed before who Jesus was addressing in this famous passage. 

The first sentence of our quote applies to those putting their faith in Him or who came to belief and trust in His message and person.  The first phrase in the second sentence, on the other hand, begins a discussion with those who had believed Him at one time.  The rest of chapter 8 is devoted to this discussion with Jesus on the offensive and these Jews defending their defection.

Remember the Apostate verse back in chapter 6:66?  I said then and I believe now it was no accidental numbering in John’s gospel or as a reference in Revelation.  The identity of the one who becomes the man of perdition, the antichrist and beast of the end times prophecy will be one who rejects Jesus as God incarnate come to save the world from sin.  Daniel claimed he would think to change times and laws.  To change times would probably indicate years, since Daniel used the word “time” to equal a year in his prophecy, that would make sense here.  So the apostate will change history to his liking and adjust times to fit his need.  Then changing laws would be easy because there would no longer be a sense of final ultimate authority in the Word of God.  Thus he could arrange truth to his preference.

Though prophecy is not our subject, it’s good to make sure we grasp who we are studying here.  Jesus was addressing the very crowd who deserted Him earlier, if I get the reference right, which means He was reaching out to them, trying to shake them awake.  But they refused to listen on the basis that their preconceptions were tried to the limit and they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) go beyond them.  I believe their very words were,  “This is a hard saying, who can accept it?”  Meaning themselves, of course.

Since they could not accept Jesus for who God sent Him to be, they became sons of perdition, relatives to the man of perdition.  Their father was no longer Abraham or God but Satan himself, for the Accuser set out to murder the Son of God from the very beginning, according to Jesus (see 8:44), and they were simply imitating his means of conquering the world.  They refused Jesus because He didn’t come in a form to their liking, grasp Scripture to their way of thinking or bring hope for their personal glorification.  In rejecting the Son of God, they inadvertently rejected God Himself, since the Father sent the Son on the mission to earth in the first place.  To reject the messenger by default rejects the Sender of that message.

What Satan hoped to accomplish or still hopes to win puzzles me because the created cannot win against the Creator; it’s a logical impossibility.  Sin in its basic form is simply rejection of God, and since God is the originator, Creator, Sustainer and essence in all things, denial of Him is plain insanity.  Therefore we can conclude that Satan drove himself to madness by wishing for the impossible.  There is no way for him to be Creator of the universe or of himself, so there is no way for him to be God.

The message contained in the passage above, however, is about truth in its purist form.  My concept of living is to be truthful with who I am and accept the truth about others willingly as well.  Yet, if I’m honest with everyone (including me), my perception, bias and preference of what the word “truth” actually signifies doesn’t match up to what Jesus meant in His declaration above.  Truth is more and less what I believe it to be.  It cannot save us, unless we know truth as a person in Jesus Christ.  It cannot set us free unless it is accepted through the Son of God.

Looking at the parts of the statement we get a word equation of sorts, which goes something like this:

Holding to Jesus’ teaching = being His disciples = knowing truth = freedom.

So, first we have to stick to His teachings to even be His disciples, then and only then can we know the truth which sets us free.  Said another way, only submitting to the discipline of the truth Jesus teaches can we be set free from being slaves to sin and become family again.  We who sin are slaves to sin; but if the Son sets us free to be family, we are guaranteed not only freedom but to belong forever to His family, which means eternity.

Those who had believed in Jesus might have been Abraham’s descendants genetically, but they weren’t his family in spirit or character.  They plotted to kill Jesus as a heretic, something Abraham would never have done.  Their own ancestor begged for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to be spared with heavenly messengers even though he must have been aware of the sheer evil of the place, yet his heart was given over to love for them anyway—a characteristic he learned from his Master.  Those of his bloodline didn’t possess the heart Abraham displayed.  To them the Gentiles were a scourge and the scum of the earth.  Instead of reaching out to heal they resented, grew bitter and fought their rulers.  Abraham would have befriended and eventually influenced them in some way as he did Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Jews were to be witnesses of God’s power, justice, mercy, grace and love to the world.  They failed to do any of these things by worshiping the created instead of the Creator, only in Jesus Christ did God fulfill His command to the Hebrews.  Through Him the world found the perfect example of who God is.  Knowing Jesus means we have held on to His teaching.  Knowing truth means we must know Jesus.  Being free comes from being His disciple.

Spiral carvings on Long Meg, a menhir that sits outside the Long Meg and her Daughters stone circle in Cumbria

Here are a few more thoughts that percolated through me during my stay in the Lake District.

The spiritual meaning of art belongs to the realm of the subjective or superconscious mind. Only when the objective mind is stilled, rendered quiet and receptive, does the subjective mind increase its sensitivity and powers and “make contact” with that which we truly wish to know.

–Finley Eversole

A gang of  leaf shufflers caught my eye through the window this morning as I was heading for the kitchen to grab some grub. 

Which is what this “gang” of turkeys was doing, only they were looking for real grubs (and worms and tiny insects) and as they kicked up the leaves, they filled the woods with their shuffling sounds.  shuffle, shuffle, shuffle.

Now, this posse knew (another name for a gang of turkeys) that to find the best food they’d have to dig for it.  The good stuff doesn’t just hang out on the surface.

We could learn a lesson from the turkey (Melegris Gallopavo).  To be properly fed, we need to dig.

How often do we try to fill up on surface stuff?  All we  end up with an empty soul and skinny faith!

Sometimes we have to go deep, make some shuffling sounds flippin’ through the Bible for wisdom. 

Beth Moore

Beth Moore (Bible Teacher Excellentus) observed that one of her favorite sounds in church is flipping Bible pages.

She said it reminds her of what angels’ wings must sound like.

Well, speaking of flipping Bible pages, there’s another lesson we can learn from the turkey, and that is to hang with a posse. 

It’s not only funner to dig through the Bible with friends, sometimes it’s more effective.  Kicking through the leaves with a gang exposes worms for more than one turkey.  We can feed off each other’s finds.

So join a study group or, if you’d rather, an online group, and start digging deep.  Here’s one of Beth Moore’s online studies you might like:

Click on the picture below to get started filling your soul and fattening your faith!

“Oh the depths of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of God.  How unsearchable are his judgements and unfathomable His ways.”  Romans 11:33

Are YOU believing God?  Click on the turkey below to join His posse! 

As it’s been getting closer to Thanksgiving,I’ve been thinking more and more about the last year. I think I ate Thanksgiving dinner with my left hand. That was just after my little plate collision with my right elbow.

 I was about to turn 18. 

Earlier in that month of Nov. I had become a rebelutionary,after reading the book by Alex and Brett Harris. I wanted to do hard things. I just wasn’t sure how. How do you search for hard things to do?

 Little did I know then that I didn’t have to look but identify the situation. I got many chances to do hard things.

I got to suffer a little pain,colds,the flu and bloody noses,until just breathing was hard.

I got to stand up for what I believe in. Stand up for truth. Even one of those harder things;myself. 

I got to gain and lose all friends,as some came from far away and then all moved far away. I was given opportunities for some wonderful good times,and to lay them down when they were done. 

I learned that trusting gets you  hurt,but to trust anyways;especially a God who loves me.

 I had many simple moments in thanks of Him; like water droplets on the grass,like the sound of rain falling,like bright warm sunshine,and the stars at 5:30.

 Chances to sing and teach Sunday School. Wonderful times with my pastor’s family.

 Having my charge run and hug me when I pick her up from Head Start.

I really can’t complain when I get sugar in my water instead of salt. Having a matched pair of escorts is pretty handy. Even getting patted on the head. Overwhelming opinions and protection.

Good food and a warm house.

The unexpected circumstances that turn into grand adventures.

 All in all it’s been an exciting year.

          It’s life and I’m thankful for a chance to live it.

Without WISDOM, knowledge is either useless or destructive.
- Anon

The sublimity of WISDOM is to do those things living that are desired when dying.
- Anon

You can buy education, but WISDOM is a gift from God.
- Anon

WISDOM is knowledge, rightly applied.
- Anon

Knowledge becomes WISDOM only after it has been put to practical use.
- Anon

The doorstep to the temple of WISDOM is the knowledge of our own ignorance.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Knowledge comes, but WISDOM lingers.
- Lord Alfred Tennyson

Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; WISDOM lies in their simplification.
- Martin H. Fischer

Never mistake knowledge for WISDOM. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.
- Sandara Carey

Knowledge is proud that it knows so much; WISDOM is humble that it knows no more.
- William Cowper

Authority without WISDOM is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than to polish.
- Anne Bradstreet

A loving heart is the truest WISDOM.
- Charles Dickens

The beginning of WISDOM is to call things by their right names.
Great doubts deep WISDOM. Small doubts little WISDOM.
Beauty is the WISDOM of women. WISDOM is the beauty of men.
- Chinese Proverbs

The only thing that we know is that we know nothing and that is the highest flight of human WISDOM.
- Leo Tolstoy

WISDOM is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it.
- David Starr Jordan

WISDOM is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d preferred to talk.
- Doug Larson

True WISDOM lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by.
- E. S. Bouton

The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest WISDOM in a happy mind.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

WISDOM is knowing when to speak your mind and when to mind your speech.
- Evangel

WISDOM not only gets, but once got, retains.
- Francis Quarles

When God punishes a land, he deprives it leaders of WISDOM.
- Italian Proverb

WISDOM is found only in truth.
- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Pain makes man think. Thought makes man wise. WISDOM makes life endurable.
- John Patrick

Where fear is present, WISDOM cannot be.
- Lucius C. Lactantius

It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of WISDOM to listen.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes

WISDOM becomes nonsense in the mouth of a fanatic.
- Otto Schuwdrmer

WISDOM is always an overmatch for strength.
- Phaedrus

Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on WISDOM.
- Queen Elizabeth

In seeking WISDOM thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it, thou art a fool.
- Rabbi Ben Azai

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the WISDOM to know the difference.
- Reinhold Niebuhr

A short saying often contains much WISDOM.
- Sophocles

Honesty is the first chapter of the book of WISDOM.
- Thomas Jefferson

Committing a great truth to memory is admirable; committing it to life is WISDOM.
- William A. Ward

The end of WISDOM is to dream high enough to lose the dream in the seeking of it.
- William Faulkner

WISDOM is learning what to overlook.
- William James

WISDOM doesn’t necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself.
- Woodrow T. Wilson

A word to the wise from Dr. Jerry designed to encourage your spirit and help to see life’s circumstances from God’s point of view.  A Word to the Wise (Archive)

I’m Weak but Ye Are Strong.
I lift my hands unto the Great Spirit and worship. He who has by himself created all things visible and invisible, who has blessed me with long life, who has set me upon my Mother and among the Human Beings. I worship his name and worship him with an unsoiled spirit and heart.
Many moons have passed and my memory flickers as a candle on a windy day, that’s ready to die out forever more.  I have seen unspeakable things, that have been committed against the Human Beings, hard to be spoken of, the cry of the young for their mothers and mothers for their children that will never return unto to them ever again.
The wisdom of our Elders died with our old a helpless people, they embraced those who traveled across the deep waters, they came with a split tongue, killing our people and fed them to their dogs, covering our Mother with a heavy blanket, killing our buffalo for sport. Our land is sacred! Our Mother has nourished our fathers and our children and the creatures have given their lives for meat and their skins to keep us warm.
They didn’t understand, nor do they still understand the way of life, they despise the day of small things and raped our mother for gain and pleasure, we must keep the decree of life and respect the land. Our Mother has been provoked and she will shake the heaviness that has been placed on her.
The blood of our children cries unto the Great Spirit. They cannot feel the fire of the heavens which has nourished their existence and given them their beauty. Oh Great Spirit this is a good day to die, I’m weak but ye are strong keep me in the right path, which our fathers have taken back to you, I humble myself to be accepted in your most sacred presences.
©2007

A carrot between two pickles isn’t so well taken.

This is a proverb of fable origin.

An ass seeing his master pet a little lap-dog and hold it in his lap desired the same treatment, so broke his halter, rushed into the house and began to prance and kick and at last tried to sit in his master’s lap in order that he might re ceive the same sort of caress that was given the lap-dog. For his trouble the ass received only a sound beating.

The fable and proverb teach that not all are born with like endowment of characteristics. It was used with reference to those who try to emulate those above them and become involved in difficulty for their pains.

"Moral significance of animals as indicated in Greek proverbs"

foto- coldstream backyard nov 09

There are so many reasons why “the terrorists, enemy combatants, maggots, killers,” should not be given a civil trial reserved only for legal citizens of America. President Obama knows  that in so doing , he will not only turn America who is the  victim, into  being the defendant in this trial, but he will give these maggots an open forum to promote their propaganda of hate and all things anti-American. What this childish, naive,  dumb and dangerous travesty will accomplish, is to once again show the world that President Obama is more interested in show than in substance.

The message the world at large is getting is that America lost the cowboy in the White House, and replaced him with a Spineless octopus.  Soldier of Allah Major Hasan who recently went on a killing spree at Fort Hood murdering 13 American soldiers and; at the memorial for these dead American Soldiers, Obama addressed the fact that their deaths was an act of war, by the symbolism displayed in their boots and guns. We already see that this Jihadist murder’s defense is going for the insanity plea. I just hope that his insanity plea will help put him out of his misery with early eternal retirement.

Aside from the ridiculous high expense of affording these civil trials, it is amazing that the US Government is willing to have such a trial, knowing full well it will not be able to put on a strong prosecution, as National Security issues, will prevent proper evidence from being presented to the Jurors.  Speaking of juries, the rights of any one standing trial in the USA is being judged by a “Jury of Your Peers.”  So does Obama intend on importing twelve people from Pakistan? Or Saudi Arabia? How about some Al Qaeda wannabes’ running around most Mosques in the USA?  Germany will not submit documents because the information would help the USA ’s case for the death penalty. This trial should not be about America. The only way this Country can be avenged is to know that these terrorist will be given a proper military trial, and when found guilty, these maggots should be shot and their corpses  left to rot in hell.

Humans are just animals that have evolved . What has never changed is the call of the wild. Weakness in the animal kingdom is an opportunity for a good meal. Weakness in a nation inspires boldness among its enemies.  Americans are seen as the new carrion among our Muslim foes.

Andrea