As we prepare to share this meal in peace and comfort, let us pause and recognize the extraordinary privilege of doing so.

At this very moment, in Israel and Palestine, children are suffering—some without food, others without shelter, many without family. Civilians on all sides endure loss, fear, and devastation. This is not a distant tragedy beyond our reach. The world has spoken—through the United Nations, international courts, and people across the globe—demanding an end to this horror.

Yet the United States stands alone in shielding this war from accountability. It supplies the weapons, blocks international efforts to stop the bloodshed, and turns a deaf ear to the people of the Middle East who cry out for justice and relief. This is not about taking sides, nor about left or right. It is about the consequences of our choices—made by our representatives, funded by our taxes, and carried out in our name.

Ours is a system guided by the will of the people. If we cannot speak of such suffering, even among friends, then that system is not just flawed—it is wholly inadequate.

So before we eat, let us hold space for those who cannot. Let us admit our impotence in the face of such dire challenges. And if we are to contemplate regime change, let it begin at home—where it is most urgently needed.

- Amen