Lent 3 - Corinthians: Our Foolish Wisdom

Lent 3 – 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 1.18-25
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (1 Cor 1.20)

Human wisdom: if we put the proper policies and safeguards in place, and if we have the most weapons, we CAN keep ourselves safe and secure.

God’s wisdom: we cannot save ourselves; only God can do (has done) that.

From the very moment of birth, we all are perishing. But God broke into our world—as one of those babies—and saved us from the power of death. Baptism is the sign.

Human wisdom: arrest those we think are terrorists and hold them, even if we don’t have proof of their crime—just in case. Try them in a military court—they might not be convicted if they were tried in a civilian court. We may wonder if this is really justice, but Attorney General Eric Holder assures us that if someone poses “an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States,” and if “capture is not feasible,” most likely because the suspect is in another country, then it is OK for the president to order this suspected terrorist to be killed. The due process that is required for a criminal defendant in the U.S. is not necessary when terrorism threatens.

307 Palestinian political prisoners are being held in Israeli prisons—held under “administrative detention,” without any charges filed against them. Because someone has decided they are terrorists—presenting the evidence secretly to a judge. The prisoner cannot see the charges or the evidence against him/her. The prisoner’s lawyer cannot see the charges or the evidence to prepare a defense.

All Palestinians arrested by Israel are tried in military courts—whether they are Israeli citizens or citizens of the Palestinian Authority. There are two court systems—Israelis are tried in civilian courts; Palestinians are tried in military courts. It’s the law.

Hana Al-Shalabi is protesting this inequality. Since her arrest in her village of Burqin, near Jenin, in the West Bank on February 16, she has been on a hunger strike, protesting all “administrative detentions.” Her parents have joined her in her hunger strike; they are my age.

In October, she had been released from prison as part of the prisoner exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Four months later she has been re-arrested. Fifty soldiers, with their dogs, broke into her parents’ home to arrest her—after raiding her brother’s home.

While President Obama was addressing AIPAC on Monday, expressing his strong support for the State of Israel, Hana was lying in an Israeli prison, not knowing why she was arrested and unable to defend herself because she has not been charged with a crime. She spent seven days in solitary confinement as punishment for the hunger strike. Today marks the 21st day—her health is deteriorating and she is weak. [Photo shows protester holding posters supporting her] See more…

Addameer (Prisoner Support and Human Rights Organization) and Physicians for Human Rights/Israel have issued a joint appeal to the international community to intervene with Israel: “to immediately facilitate medical visits to Hana Shalabi, unconditionally release Hana Shalabi and cease the use of administrative detention, and to conduct serious and independent investigation into the assault of Hana Shalabi and end its practice of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment.”

Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we Christians believe that have been saved—for what? For Hana, and for all of us, there is death. But that is not the end of the story; out of death new life emerges.

God of the outcast and the prisoner, your prophets and your son have taught us how to love the stranger. Help us follow. In the name of your son, Amen.

*****To protest Israel’s policy of administrative detention, send a letter to Israeli officials protesting the policy of administrative detention and asking for her release. (Scroll up on the page to read more about her case.) Write to your own elected representatives urging them to pressure Israel to release Hana Shalabi and to put an end to the unjust, arbitrary and cruel system of incarceration without trial.