16/7/1015 English

This week, Muslims here and around the world are celebrating the end feast of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr.  With so much violence and oppression in much of the Middle East, some of these celebrations are burdened with worry and marred with cries for justice.  Lord, please grant all those suffering the most a life of dignity and human rights, and let this feast be full with the comfort of family and community. Lord in your mercy…

 

The Palestinian village of Khirbet Susiya in the West Bank is under imminent threat of demolition and expulsion by the Israeli military.  Also, multiple demolition orders were recently issued to Bedouins in the community of Abu al-Nawwar—a location that, if further expanded upon by the nearby Jewish settlement, would divide the West Bank.  God of mercy, we pray for the end of illegal settlement building, which threatens the two-state solution and peace with justice in this land.  Lord in your mercy…

 

The Israeli Supreme Court issued a decision on Monday giving Israel the green light to build the separation wall in the Cremisan Valley.  This is despite an earlier ruling to stop building there. In the Court’s narrow interpretation, the earlier ruling applies only to the Monastery and its lands and not to privately owned land.  Lord, we pray that this unjust annexation of Palestinian land to Israel will end both in this area and in the whole land.  Lord in your mercy…

 

Lord, we lift our gratitude for our Sabeel programs and events, including our regular Thursday communion service where we reflect on the texts of the Bible and Liberation Theology and share in the Eucharist together.  Lord in your mercy…

 

We pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama.  Lord in your mercy…