Tom Fox  -- page 2

As Tom contemplated the cycle of violence and hate he worked with in Iraq he wondered how the minds and hearts of people could be changed. "It all comes down to ‘agape’– the love of enemy that speaks to the divine spark that everyone has in them. As long as there are human beings there will be conflict. But the way that CPT and everyone else who has experienced a change of heart and mind can offer as alternatives to violent conflict resolution can fan the flame of that divine spark within those ware trapped in the vicious circle of violence."[email Mar 26 2005 Seven Paths to Jesus’ Third Way

In reflecting on an exhibit he saw in O’Hare airport, Tom picked up on Jesus’ teaching about treasures and where they take the human heart.

We in the United States comprise 3% of the world’s population," he wrote, "yet we consume 22% of the world’s natural resources. The word that jumps to my mind when thinking about that statistic is ‘greed.’ Does my president’s stated goal of ‘spreading freedom and democracy’ really mean getting other nations to borrow, spend and consume like us? That goal is fine as long as we can find a way to replicate the earth five or six times and use these replicated earths just as a source of natural resources and not try and live on them.

While I’m convinced that there is an infinite amount of spiritual resources in the universe there is clearly a finite amount of material resources. How we share those finite resources is a critical part of creating the Peaceable Realm. Unless we in the U.S. can find intentional ways of letting go of some of our "stuff’ so that others have enough "stuff’ for the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter a world of peace will continue to elude us.[blog April 4, 2005 "Stuff"]

Prayer was a source of life for Tom. He was experienced in many forms of prayer including the Sufis, meditation and contemplation. In a report to the co-directors of CPT reflecting on his second tour of Iraq he writes "‘Reduced to prayer’ is a phrase I used in writing a friend recently. My cooking experience tells me that something that is reduced actually becomes stronger and more potent." Tom’s life of prayer was lively and vital but very quiet.

One hears the words of Jesus more richly "And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one," in considering Tom’s witness, life and death. He was not rescued as his companions were but neither has evil had the last word. Even Tom’s guards were touched by his prayers. One of the guards had injured his foot playing soccer and for the two times each day that Tom’s hands were freed he bent down and touched the guard’s foot praying that it would be healed.[Story by James Loney, Sandy Spring Memorial Service]

Jesus’ teachings have been revered by many faiths. Before Tom’s body was flown from Anaconda Military Base in Iraq to Dover Delaware, Beth Pyles, his CPT colleague, read from the Gospel of John, spoke words called out from mosques and concluded with words from the Jewish scriptures, it was a way to conceptualize what Jesus was saying in Matthew 7. "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets." V. 12. In this the faiths of the region were shown respect.

Tom’s last prayer at the end of his emails in the fall of 2005 speaks to the hope of those who seek first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.

Sun behind all suns
Soul behind all souls
Grant us the grace of the dawn’s glory
Grant us the strength of the sun’s ray
That we may be well in our own souls
And part of the world’s healing this day
That we may be well in our own souls
And part of the world’s healing this day.

– Celtic Morning Prayer

The story of Tom’s life is finally a story of healing for a land torn by hate and strife. Toms’ presence there did not stop the strife but it shines as bright as day on the ultimate futility of hate and shows the way to everlasting love.

In Tom’s death the Beatitudes come alive. Sheila Provencher, a CPT colleague of Tom’s wrote of his humility and meekness.

. . . I feel overwhelmed of having known you . . . . ‘Amu Tom’ as all the Iraqi and Palestinian children called you. How could we have had such a gift in you? You were gentleness, patience, compassion, forgiveness and courage . . . ." She remembers the night before she left Baghdad, two days before Tom was kidnaped. "[Tom] let the good bye prayer service. You said to me, ‘I don’t know why, I just have this feeling that I want to do a Eucharist service for you. Don’t ask me why a Quaker would lead a Eucharist, but I have a feeling this is what we’re supposed to do.’ So we broke bread and drank grape juice and all shared the communion prayer, men and women taking turns. Afterwards you joked about this being your First Communion, at age 54 . . . .Laughing in the candlelight . . . . I can hear your voice in my heart. You say things like, ‘Well, this was what was supposed to happen.’ ‘I’m just glad I could be here to help.’ ‘You keep taking care of yourself, now.’ Your one deep pain was knowing the anguish that your suffering could cause your children. "[CPTnet 15 March 2006]

Her letter to Tom ended with these words:

We met in October 2004, right after Margaret Hassan had been killed. You, Matthew, and I were the whole team in Baghdad, and we talked about kidnaping, what could happen to us, and if we should stay in Iraq. You wrote a statement of conviction that included the words, "If I am ever called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice in love of enemy, I trust that God will give me the grace to do so." You did it, Tom. You were faithful until the very end. I imagine that even when you were about to die, you looked with forgiveness at the man who would kill you . . . .God, help us to be as faithful." [CPTnet 15 March 2006]

Forgiveness became the theme of Tom’s death. His witness seemed to touch many in the media in a significant and for some a life-changing way. Amber Healy of The Connections newspaper of Fairfax Virginia was one of those reporters. The paper itself wrote an editorial on Tom’s life including a highlighted quote from Matt 5:44. "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, and unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. And as you would that men should do to you, do ye also to them like likewise."

The editorial says "It is remarkable to see fellow human beings who walk in the path of their convictions. It is heartbreaking to see the person die as a result. But his death was not futile-no more than the death 2,000 years ago of the one he followed."

Many see the Sermon on the Mount as a textbook way to live. The danger in that is it becomes a legalistic document. The Sermon on the Mount is more like the roots to the Tree of Life. It is best hidden in the follower of Jesus’ life so that it sustains and nurtures all that the believer becomes. As such it cannot become a legalistic document but a way to come to the Source of Life. For Tom it was the way to love. Its teachings transformed his life into a spiritual adventure and journey far beyond anything he could imagine or dream. The journey was rarely easy but it was good.

A few days after Tom’s body was found, Lauri Perman, the Clerk of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends, shared a vision a friend of hers had had about Tom. She recounted it in an email: "A week or two ago when I heard Tom was not in the video with the rest of the CPT team I was so worried. I prayed asking ‘God is Tom with you?’

Then I prayed ‘Tom are you with God?’ In my heart 1 heard a voice say . . . in great joy . . . ‘There is so much love here . . . so much love . . . so much love.’ I knew Tom was in a different place, because I could not imagine that place here. Now I am not sad for him – only for us."

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

At Tom’s public memorial service the truth of his life seemed to fulfill what was spoken of in the Beatitudes. Guided by them, this was the pastoral prayer offered at that service.

"We are before You in sadness, and You remind us
"Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted."
We see Your great love and remember
Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be
Called the children of God.
We wonder about our world and are given to despair
But You said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they
Will see You."
Thank you for the grace, the light, the forgiveness
And the love that Tom lived by in Your Spirit.
Send us Your Spirit and Your Light
So we may see Your Way and walk in it to You!
As You looked with grief on Jesus’ suffering so you also
Understand our grief and the deep on-going pain of the people of Iraq.
We are sorry for the anguish and destruction they have known.
We pray that the sacrifice of Tom’s life will bear fruit
So their land and people may be healed.
Strengthen us O God to have the faith and love
To go into the conflict because we will find
Your mercy and love if we but look for it there.
Tom is comforted and held in your arms and we are glad.
He is with You where there is so much love.
Let that love guide us and give us hope
As we all journey home to you. Amen.

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