Thursday, May 20, 2010

20/5/10 - English

Already, this week has seen numerous nighttime incursions into Palestinian communities by Israeli military forces. Young men from Nablus and Bethlehem have been pulled from their homes in the early morning hours and taken to undisclosed locations for “questioning.” We pray for the many families terrorized by this tactic each week.

Nine ships have set sail for Gaza, bearing some 10,000 tons of reconstruction supplies for the 1.5 million besieged Palestinians living there. The “Freedom Flotilla” has confirmed their intention to sail in spite of Israel’s naval blockade and previous attempts to ram supply ships. May the much needed supplies reach port without incident and we pray that other movements to end the siege of Gaza will be inspired by this courageous nonviolent action.

The World Council of Churches is inviting people to join in “a week of advocacy and action for a just peace in Palestine and Israel” from May 29 to June 4. As groups to pray, educate and advocate for a just peace, we pray that many people will use this opportunity to put their faith-inspired commitment to justice into practice. We also give thanks for the inspiring and exciting events that will be held in communities around the world.

Later this week in Nazareth, Sabeel will host a Bible study for children from various denominations. The children will explore the theme “The Feast of Ascension and Pentecost” and will participate in activities and crafts. We pray for the many ways that the seeds of ecumenism and tolerance are sown in each generation. May we always be mindful of the examples we set and the lessons we teach.



No comments:

Post a Comment