Night

The following story is a Hasidic Tale, quoted in Peacemaking Day by Day:

An old rabbi once asked his pupils how they could tell when the night had ended and the day had begun.

"Could it be," asked one of the students, "when you can see an animal in the distance and tell whether it's a sheep or a dog?"

"No," answered the rabbi.

Another asked, "Is it when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it's a fig tree or a peach tree?"

"No," answered the rabbi.

"Then when is it?" the pupils demanded.

"It is when you can look on the face of any man or woman and see that it is your sister or brother. Because if you cannot see this, it is still night."

With the recent Bali and Zamboanga bombings, the world seems quite dark. Nothing much we can do but stay alert, pray, and hope for the best. God doesn't seem to be giving up on the world just yet. My officemate just gave birth to her first baby after a difficult pregnancy (the things moms and dads have to go through!). And although we worry about our children growing up in a world like this, nothing can really take away the joy of welcoming a new life!

And so amid seemingly bleak surroundings, let us keep the faith and await the sunrise...