Peace must be restored in Israel and Palestine… Israelis and Palestines have to live in the same land, and it is a "must" to live in peace.

    The actual set up of Israel and Palestine makes no sense: The country is Israel, but several "points" is Palestine: For example, Bethlehem, Jericho and Hebron are Palestine, but as soon as you leave the city it is Israel... any one who enters or comes out of the city has to pass two customs: The Israeli and the Palestine... it is a mockery for all the tourists and civilians of Israel and Palestine.

    Even the leader of the Palestinian Authority, if he wants to see his country, Palestine, has to pass through several customs, the only way not to pass customs would be to use a helicopter... simply crazy, and a continuous status to have neighboring disagreements, discords, disputes... just crazy! Never has this ever happened in the history of mankind.

    This status is ruining both Israeli and Palestinian people. There is no tourism, no peace, only a continuous state of tension. Hotels, restaurants and shops are empty.

    Jews will never have a  country with this situation, and the Separation Wall doesn't help. Palestine is not a country either.   

    Palestinian Cities, Towns and Villages, Jan. 2006

    More Israel-Palestine Maps

    This is got to change!

    My suggestion is to have only one country, you may call it Israel-Palestine, and every person, be it a Jew, a Muslim, or a Christian is a full citizen of the only one country, with full rights to live and work and vote, the same rights for every citizen...

    And it  can be done. The USA could be a good example. And anyway, the Jews need the Muslims and the Muslims need the Jews.

    Israel-Palestine should be only one Country, but every religion may have their own kind of internal Government, as stated in the solution of the City of Jerusalem

    By the way, I am glad the Christians don't want to have their own Christian Country within Israel with customs and local rulers as the Muslims want... there are many "points" very dear to every Christian, as much as it may be for any Muslim or Jew: Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, the whole Galilee, Mount Tabor, Mount of the Beatitudes, Samaria, Sachem...

    As far a the City of Jerusalem is concern, please take a look at my suggestions.

Humility: Litany of Humility - The best way to solve problems at home, at work... between nations... in our heart...
    The humble person has many friends... everybody wants to be friend of a humble person.

    Peace must be restored in Israel and Palestine… in Iraq, Afghanistan, Mideast, Iraq, Iran...

    Treaties and regulations are important, but to obtain real peace in the land, at home, and in the heart of each one of us, three virtues are needed:
    1- Humility.
    2- Humility.
    3- Humility.

    St. Augustine used to think also along this way (Epist.118:3,22).

    If you and I are humble, we are going to create peace in our land, and at home, and in our hearts… it may not be good enough to produce peace in the land, but the deepest darkness can not put out the light of a small candle… and if many of us become humble, even full peace may be achieved in the whole land.

    Humility is the foundation of peace and honor and joy and love… "everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted" (Lk.14:11)… "Faith in God" is the message of every page of the Bible and of the Koran… "faith in Christ", in the New Testament, which is very similar… this faith and trust is the only way to obtain peace and joy and love... the peace and joy and love that only God can give and that nothing and nobody can take away.

    1- "Moses was a very humble man, more humble than any man on the face of the earth" (Num.12:3).

    2- The Holy Koran is filled with humility statements
    - "The true servants of the Gracious God are those who walk on the earth humbly and when the ignorant address them, they avoid them gracefully by saying, `Peace !' " (25:64)
    - "All great leaders shall humble themselves before the Living, Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining God" (20:112)
    - "Your God is One God, therefore, submit ye all to HIM. And give thou glad tidings to the humble (22:35).

    3- The Holy Bible is also filled with humility statements:
    - "The meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace" (Psalm 37:11)… the humble!, not the powerful.
    - "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5).
    - "Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name" (Philippians 2:8-9).
    - "And Mary said: Because he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name" (Luke 1:48-49).
    - "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2).
    - "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3). 
    - "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).

    To resume the Holy Scriptures:

    You may be powerful, or rich in possessions or land, as an individual or as a nation, but if you are not humble, as an individual or as a nation, you will not have peace… but if you are humble, as an individual or as a nation, you will have peace, even if you are poor or powerless or even dishonored… you will have peace, rest of your soul, joy and love!.

    And if we look at it closely, this is what everybody is looking for: Peace, joy, love… the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, the honored and the dishonored… and this peace, joy and love you only can have it on earth if you are humble, meek of heart.

    So, what's humility?:

    "Humility" is the truth, and it means "lowliness", "submissiveness".

    1- Adoration:

    The first great truth is that God is my Creator, and consequently, I, as the creature of God, should be grateful to Him at all times, worshiping Him, giving thanks to Him with joy for everything in all circumstances, and by the way, this is the secret of happiness of St. Paul (1Thes.5:16-18).

    This kind of humility is the greatest virtue against "pride", the "prime pride", which is to consider myself the center of the universe, and it is the greatest obstacle for peace, joy and love.

    2- Submissiveness:

    God is the Creator of the Universe, and in comparison with God, you and I, and the most powerful man on earth, are like a drop of water compared with the ocean… so I have to praise God for his greatness, consider myself as I am, one among billions and billions!, and submit myself joyfully to all of his ordinances and commandments… and, by the way, this is the only way I can have a good life: The Commandments of God are like the traffic regulations, if I don't follow them, and pass the red light, I may hurt myself or my neighbors, driving into the sidewalk or outside the road, falling into a precipice.

    "Vainglory" is the opposed to this, it is to rob God, because to God is all glory and honor and praise… and if I am ever honored or praised, I have to receive that honor for the glory and praise of God, because all I have and the good I do comes from God.

    3- Love... respect:

    Everything and everybody around me are beloved creatures of God. So, I have to love and enjoy everything God gives to me: My relatives and neighbors, all humans and animals and plants, and the rivers and oceans and stars… this is a wonderful world when lived in the truth, in humility…

    The same God who made the hands of a Jew made the feet of a Muslim, and the eyes of a Christian, and the ears of a Hindu… we are all brothers in God, children of the same Father…so we have to love each other as brothers in God, and respect is the first fruit of that love.

    If your parents were Jews, most probably you are a Jew now… if your parents were Muslims, you are a Muslim… if they were Christians, you are a Christian right now… and we have to respect our neighbor with his religion… God didn't asked you: Do you want to have Jew or Muslim or Christian parents?…

    If we feel that our religion is better that the one of others, there is not a reason to hate, or discriminate, but to understand, and respect and help, to love with special kindness the week one…

    God didn't asked you either if you wanted to be born in Africa or Europe or America… or to have white or black parents… Respect!… if you were born in China, you will be a Chinese now, and that will be the best for you, prepared with loving care by God your Creator…

    There is no place for discrimination… he who discriminates blasphemes against God, hurts others feelings, and most specially he hurts badly himself.

    God gives us many things through his creatures: I don't know how to make a watch or a chair or a house or a street… but He gives them to me may be through a Jew or a Muslim or a Christian... even for a cup of coffee, a neighbor had to sow it and collect it, and prepare it, and another neighbor had to make the cup and the spoon, and even another one to prepare the sugar… in true humility, in justice, I have to love and thank my neighbor who does so many good things for me… and in justice, I have to do something good to him… there is no place for avarice or anger in a humble heart.

    4- Self-respect:

    As for myself, I am a creature of God, made perfect by God to do what I have to do. If you could have done the body of your child, you would have chosen the best eyes and hands and heart… well, God is your Father, your real maker, and, like any good father, he gave you the best face and body and spirit and soul, in everything the very best for you. If you could have chosen your eyes, may be you would have chosen the eyes of an eagle, and you would have been mistaken, because the eyes you have are the best for you to do what you have to do. And if you would have chosen a prettier face or a stronger body, you would have been mistaken, because the ones God gave to you are the very best for you… there is no one in the whole world who has even a hair better than yours, to do what you have to do…

... He who envies someone else is blaspheming against God… he who envies the looks of another, or his possessions, or his honors, is telling God he didn't do a good job… there is no place for envy in a humble heart, who depends on everything from God…

    God Gave you many gifts, to use them for his glory and to serve his creatures: If you sing well, it is not humility to say that you sing bad. Humility is to use that voice with joy to serve others, not for your selfish interests, but to give thanks to God for every gift you have… if you have money or power or honor, the same applies… there is a false humility, aimed to bring us more glory and honor and money… there is no place for selfishness in a humble person.

    5- Forgiveness:

    Nobody is perfect, only God… so all humans make mistakes… even the just falls seven times a day (Proverbs 24:16)…

    Even the husband and wife make mistakes, errors, sins… the secret of a happy marriage are two persons who know how to forgive.

    And of course, each one of your neighbors makes mistakes, and errors and sins… the one of your religion or nationality, or the one of other religion or nationality… and the one who does not forgive creates a hell in the other's life, and most specially in his own life… the one who keeps rancor, resentment, grudge, creates the worse hell in his own heart, he is the biggest loser... he will never have peace in his heart, and will create hate in his land.

    The main problem in Israel, Ireland, Yugoslavia, India-Pakistan... is a "chronic hate" for centuries of the members of one religion to the members of other religion... almost each person has a relative tortured or killed by the other religion, years ago!... without forgiveness there will never be peace in those lands... forgive and forget the wrong the other's grandparent did!

    And the humble never generalizes: If a Jew or a Muslim or a Christian does something wrong, it does not mean that all the Jews or Muslims or Christians are bad… please, for your own sake, never generalize the bad!…

    And never blame anyone for the errors of his ancestors… if a Jew or a Muslim or a Christian did something bad to your parents or grandparents, please, for the sake of God and for your own sake, don't keep hate or resentment against all your neighbors of that religion… you will never have peace nor rest of your heart.

    6- You want peace in your land?:

    The peace treaties may help, but you and I are the ones that really can make the difference. Let's start you and I being really humble. It is not so difficult. We all were made to be gentle and humble of heart, to have on earth joy and love and peace… as the birds were made to fly and the fish were made to swim.

    - Look at Moses: He spent 40 years being great, the son of the Pharaoh, but another 40 years in learning humility, caring for the sheep of his father-in-law, and then, after he was humble, God chose him to live another 40 years guiding his people, the people of God, because "Moses was the humblest man on the face of the earth" (Num.12:3).

    - Look at Jesus: He wants us to imitate his humility: "Learn from me", says Jesus. What do we have to learn from you, Jesus?, to make miracles and wonders like you?, to heal the sick?, to cast out devils?… no, no, "learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart" (Mt.11:29). He makes humility the characteristic and dominant virtue he wants us to imitate. It is the foundation of his divine and human heart and character. Humility is his seal and sign, always to do the will of the Father, and depend on him on everything: As God he humiliates making himself a man, as man he humiliates himself to crucifixion… always doing the will of God, which is the perfect humility, the positive humility... and Jesus is the Prince of Peace of Isaiah 9:6.

    - We have to be humble like Jesus, the "positive humility"… but there is another reason for our humility, the "negative humility", the one due to the fact that we are sinners, imperfect… everything we do is stained with sin and imperfections, and it should be a second good reason not to be proud of us, but humble of heart, and depend always in the merciful grace of God.

    To be humble means to depend on God, on his grace, to keep ourselves under his guidance, like Jesus, without leaning on ourselves but uniquely on his all-powerful and merciful might.

    - Look at the Mother of Jesus, the "humble servant of the Lord" of Lk.1:48: For her humility, God chose her to be the Mother of Jesus, by the power of the Spirit… the humble servant became the Mother of God, and the faithful Spouse of the Spirit, and the Bible makes this great prophecy about her: "all generations shall call her blessed" (Ps.45:18, Lk.1:48). This "prophecy of the Bible" has been overwhelmingly fulfilled in the last 2000 years: Virgin Mary is the woman who has had more poems, and paintings, and statues, and chapels, and basilicas dedicated to her, to call her blessed with all kind of arts… and in every minute during these 2000 years someone has been blessing her in some part of the world, with the words of the Bible, "blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Lk.1:42).

    We should always have in mind her words on humility in her Magnificat: "the Mighty God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly" (Lk.1:51-52).

    7- Lucifer:

    In practice, however, man is naturally pelagian, a disciple of Lucifer: He believes he is sufficient by himself: He draws plans, before he asks for the help and guidance of God. He is convinced of his absolute sufficiency, instead of relying in God… and this is not the truth: The truth is that we exist and act only by the divine influence of grace, even Lucifer!… never think you have made any progress till you look upon yourself as inferior to all, because any sin makes us another Lucifer, and you and I sin!.

    Pride remains an abjection, like Lucifer, it makes us a bad "bulb", that not even God can light on. But God lifts up the humble soul, and freely, by grace, and makes it rebound in proportion to its voluntary abasement.

    Humility is the foundation of peace and honor and joy and love… "everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted" (Lk.14:11)… "Faith in God" is the message of every page of the Bible and of the Koran… "faith in Christ", in the New Testament, which is very similar… this faith and trust is the only way to obtain peace and joy and love... the peace and joy and love that only God can give and that nothing and nobody can take away.

    8- Prayers:

    I pray you and I can pray these five prayers, and live them in our daily lives:

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master:
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

(The Franciscan Prayer)

Psalm 122:6-9

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure.

May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."

For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Prayer to Allah-God
(Quran1:1-7)

In the name of ALLAH, the Gracious, the Merciful.
All praise is due to ALLAH alone, Lord of all the worlds.
The Gracious, the Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment.
THEE alone do we worship and THEE alone do we implore for help.
Guide us in the straight path,
The path of those on whom THOU hast bestowed THY favours, those who have not incurred THY displeasure and those who have not gone astray.

The Magnificat of Mary
(Luke 1:46-55, Psalm 34)

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior:

        Because he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for           the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name".

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

 

Litany of Humility

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, hear me:

From the desire of being esteemed... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled...
From the desire of being honored...
From the desire of being praised...
From the desire of being preferred...
From the desire of being consulted...
From the desire of being approved...

From the fear of being humiliated...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebuked...
From the fear of being calumniated...
From the fear of being forgotten...
From the fear of being ridiculed...
From the fear of being wronged...
From the fear of being suspected...

That others may be loved more than I... Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I...
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease...
That others may be chosen and I set aside...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should...
That I may love you, Jesus, with all my heart, and all my mind, and all my soul, and all my strength.

His eminence Cardinal Marry del Val was accustomed to recite daily after the celebration of Holy Mass.
Imprimatur: James A. McNulty, bishop of Paterson, N.J., US

    O Merciful God, this life is "vanity of vanities, and all is vanity", except to love God and serve him in his mighty throne and in his creatures (Ecc.1:2, 12:13)… to the humble God reveals his secrets, and sweetly draws and invites him to Himself… only the humble like St. Joseph can be moved by the Spirit (Matt.1), and only the clean of heart like Virgin Mary can see God (Matt.5:8)

Israel, the Bible-   Palestine and the Holy Land

Jerusalem Solution - Jerusalem in the Bible

Iraq Peace Process - Iraq  in the Bible - Euphrates river of Iraq in the Bible, apocalyptic descriptions in the 6th Trumpet and 6th Bowl

Iraq  in the Bible - Iraq Part 4 - Iraq Part 5 -   Iraq in the Bible -2

The Islamic Messiah and Antichrist