I read Number the Stars by Lois Lowry today. (The Book Thief is better, IMO, richer. But Flora’s class read Number the Stars.)
This is from the afterword by the author. In case you can’t read it, let me transcribe it:
“… And I want you all to remember that you must not dream yourselves back to the times before the war, but the dream for you all, young and old, must be to create an ideal of human decency, and not a narrow-minded and prejudiced one. That is the great gift our country hungers for, something every little peasant boy can look forward to and with pleasure feel he is a part of — something he can work and fight for.”
It is the holiest part of the year for my faith, for my religion. And this is the message that Jesus came to bring us: Love one another. And these are the words from a century ago, from a peasant boy who was killed for fighting to save other people — people he may not have even known, people whose faith he may not have shared.
He wanted to save them because they were fellow humans. Jesus wants us to love one another because we are all flawed people who are in this together.
It’s so simple.
Last night was the washing of feet. Jesus told us, “If you will lead, you must first serve.”
It’s so simple.
Jesus came to give us a new covenant. A new commandment.
Will you follow? Will you serve?
Red Pen Mama 