Let our search begin with Abraham Lincoln. At his first inauguration he saw the danger of civil war on the horizon. He revealed his feelings as follows: “We are not enemies but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched as surely as they will be by the better angels of our nature.” Sad to say what this great leader feared became a reality with a savage Civil War.

I wish to introduce to all Americans, both Democrat and Republican, one of the greatest persons I have learned about. His name was Rabbi Leo Baeck, chief rabbi in Berlin during the Nazi period. He turned down opportunities to escape. In 1943 he was arrested and sent to Theresenstadt concentration camp. There were 14,000 prisoners there and he tried to comfort and console them. In January 1945 the Russian army liberated the camp. Out of the 14,000 prisoners there were now 9,000. The Russians disarmed the Nazi guards. Immediately the starved and persecuted prisoners began organizing to kill the Nazi guards.

Rabbi Baeck stood between the Nazi guards and the survivors. He said to the latter, “We now have freedom. Let us resolve to live without violence or murder. Let us begin new lives today.” He returned as chief rabbi to Berlin where he died in 1956. He recognized Jesus as a Jew raised in difficult times in Judea and practicing the Jewish faith.

I am convinced Rabbi Baeck would celebrate the birth of Jesus who called us to do what the rabbi did, to love our enemies and practice what Jesus has preached: be compassionate.

This is a message not only for Christmas but for everyone, always, and is far more important than shopping for gifts.

Fr. William Treacy

Mount Vernon