This past week I had the privilege to attend a prayer service for peace. Haim Shapiro, a journalist for "The Jerusalem Post" was also present. I use his words to describe this very special event:

"Facing a situation in which religious fervor appears to be one of the causes of violence and conflict in recent weeks, dozens of Jews, Christians and Moslems gathered at the Tantur Institute in Jerusalem yesterday to pray for peace.

The gathering, in the institute's chapel-prayer room, devoid of any religious symbols, was a low-key affair, with none of those present acting as official representatives of their respective faiths and no one representing the residents of the territories. The prayers themselves were offered by a Roman Catholic nun, a female Conservative rabbi, and a Moslem educator.

However, in a country in which interfaith activities are common, this was the first such gathering since the violence began three weeks ago. Other attempts to gather members of different communities and different faiths had failed.

Ironically, the institute where the meeting took place is located on the edge of Gilo, whose residents have come under fire in recent weeks from Palestinians in Beit Jalla.

Following the prayers, speakers from the three faiths expressed some of the frustration of the current situation. Rabbi David Rosen noted that in the beginning of the Book of Genesis, which Jews read on Simhat Torah, which begins tomorrow night, we already encounter the first murder.

Relating the episode to current affairs, Rosen pointed out that according to one commentary, the killing was a result of a conflict over territory. According to another commentator, each son of Adam had insisted that the Temple was to be built on his own piece of ground.

'Violence emerges from absolute claims on territory or absolute claims of faith,' Rosen said.

Rosen admitted that there were 'not enough of us' who could appreciate the faith of the other or the territorial claims of the other, but called upon those few who could respect one another to share and reinforce their feelings.

Issa Jaber, director of education and culture in Abu Gosh, noted that innocent people had been hurt in the name of holy places.

'The souls of people should be appreciated more than landscape. The holy places are important for us, but human life is more important,' Jaber said.

He added, however, that although the past days have been difficult for everyone, there is no choice but to get up and start again.

'We must start to build our lives together again,' Jaber said.

Dr. Stanley DeWaal, the president of Jerusalem University College, spoke of the difficulty of truly following Jesus' teachings to bless one's persecutors and never seek revenge. Quoting the Lord's Prayer, he noted that it called upon the worshipers to do God's will, not their own.

'When humans strive to divinity, they self-destruct,' DeWaal said."

Over the years, I have attended and taken part in ecumenical prayer services, as well as inter-religious services, as this one at Tantur this past week.

They have always been very meaningful, but none as meaningful as last week's. It is one thing to pray for peace when the conflict and violence is far removed. It is entirely different when you and the prayer you utter are in the midst of the conflict and violence!

Also, the prayer was made more meaningful because it was not just Jewish prayer, Moslem prayer or Christian prayer. It was global prayer - the prayer of all the religious players who are creating this Middle East tension.

By praying in ecumenical and inter-religious settings, the person allows God to expand the borders of life. God keeps "pushing the envelope". And when one makes that leap of faith to allow God's activity to take place, one is never the same. And there is no going back!

When a Christian of one denomination prays with Christians of other denominations, when a Christian prays with Moslems and Jews, it is, I believe, a very special foretaste of the Kingdom of God.

There is always the need, of course, to go back "home" to our "zones of comfort", to our own mosques, synagogues and churches, where language, ritual, symbols and creeds best express, for us, the Mystery that is God and Life. But we go back "home" only to be strengthened and nourished for the journey into the "beyond" to which God calls us.

In the beginning of this 21st century, "The Beyond In Our Midst", God, is calling us to new lands and places. As we continue to become a global village, will we hide in our religious ghettoes? Will we allow religion to continue to divide us and to create violence and death? Will we continue an arrogance that makes absolute claims on territory and faith? Or will we allow God to be God? Will we have faith in the One who spoke to Abram, almost 4,000 years ago, who continued to speak through the ages, and speaks to us, once again, on the brink of this new millennium, " Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you..." (Genesis 12:1-2)

In this shrinking world, our global village, we are becoming ever more linked by economy, travel and communication, specifically through the Internet. What are we going to do with our religions, our spiritualities? Will we stay put in our tribes or will we begin to take the steps on the journey that takes us toward a new land, a global spirituality?

I will continue my thoughts on this topic next week. Below are some pictures showing some of my activity in the past week.

E-mail Fr Mike at: michaelr@stmoside.org