It is sad to see the hatred manifested by many in Canada because of a conflict in the Middle East. One would think that people come to this country in order to live in peace, so why import hatred?

Of course, Canada has seen this sort of thing before. Back in the mid 1800’s the Orange Order fomented almost monthly riots in York (now Toronto) and elsewhere. Their grievance? They did not want anyone who was not a WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) to have any influence on government. They were behind the anti-French riot in Montreal on April 25, 1849 that culminated in the burning of the Canadian parliament building.

Then there were the Fenians, Irish Catholics who wanted to take over Canada and hold it hostage so that Britain would give Ireland its independence. When Thomas D’Arcy McGee switched allegiance from Irish nationalism to Canadian nationalism he became the victim of Canada’s first political assassination. He was shot and killed April 7, 1868 in Ottawa as he walked from Parliament to the boarding house where he was staying.

The fires of those old hatreds have long gone out. Hopefully those fires burning today will also be quenched in time. No good purpose has ever been accomplished by the fire of hatred. May we all guard ourselves from allowing our feelings to be stirred to the point of hating those whom we think are the cause of our problems.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

James 3:14-18