In the worst sectarian violence since former Egyptian
president Hosni Mubarak was ousted, 24 Coptic Christians were killed in clashes
with Egyptian security forces. The march
was in protest of the demolition of a church built without a permit. Coptic Christians make up ten percent of
Egypt’s population, and have had a long history of both cooperation and difficulty
with their Muslim neighbors. We pray
that the messages of peace, justice and forgiveness, present in both religious
traditions, will quell the provocation to violence. We pray for all Egyptians
as they do the hard work of reorganizing their country, together. Lord in your
mercy…
Jesus
proclaimed release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. We watch
with great expectation of God’s mercy on over six thousand Palestinian political
prisoners held in Israeli jails. More than 300 incarcerated men and women joined
in a hunger strike since the beginning of the month. Their demands are for their basic human
rights to be respected. They wish to see an end to routine humiliation during roll-calls
and transfers, the arbitrary denial of their family’s rights to visit, and the
inhumane use of solitary confinement.
Others across Palestine, Israel, and internationally have joined the
hunger strike. We pray for the release
of all Palestinian prisoners of war. Lord, in your mercy…
On the
Jewish Day of Atonement for sins (Yom Kippur), dozens of gravestones in
Christian and Muslim cemeteries in Jaffa were desecrated by extremist settlers.
Some tombs were smashed and many carried racial epithets including “Death to
Arabs.” We are grateful that at least a
small group of both Palestinian and Jewish Israelis went together to protest
the ongoing violence of this Jewish right-wing movement which was also
responsible for the mosque burning in Tuba Zangria last week. We pray that the
perpetrators be brought to justice. Lord in your mercy…
We give thanks for the optimism, energy, and
commitment of the many women who participate in Sabeel programming, from the
grassroots to the board level. This week
we especially remember the women’s meeting on Friday, October 14th,
hosted by the Nazareth branch office of Sabeel.
May the meeting be an encouragement to them, as they continue to deal
with the stress of being second-class citizens in their own land. May God grant
them power and prophetic vision. Lord in
your mercy…
We pray for safe travels and invigorating
conversations for Sabeel’s founder and director Naim Ateek as he begins his
United States tour with a Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) board
meeting. We thank God for the ongoing work of FOSNA, and we pray for wisdom in
its deliberations. We pray for sustenance and encouragement for all of Sabeel’s
friends around the world, as they continue to magnify the voice of the
Palestinian people calling for justice, peace, and reconciliation. Lord in your
mercy…
With the World Council of Churches we pray for Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.
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