Oh, City of Jerusalem, as I
walk by your grieving streets and empty roads, my heart weeps. The livelihood
of Jerusalem is no longer there. The people are afraid and the Old City is
silent with the abandonment of her children. Please, God, bring
peace to the city. Give it back its glory, its life. Let the
Jerusalem wall melt the eyes of hatred and enmity and replace fear and hatred
with an atmosphere of reconciliation amongst all who live
there.
Lord, in your mercy...........
God of Mercy, the
occupation takes its daily toll on all who live here, but perhaps the people who
are most deeply affected are the mothers and women who not only feel the
responsibility of nurturing and care for families and children, but also,
because of the ongoing oppression , feel the burden of trying to raise a
generation whose hearts are not blackened by hatred, anger and despair.
Lord, we give you thanks for Palestinian women, and especially mothers.
We are inspired by their example and we pray that you continue to
strengthen them with your love, hope and presence.
Lord, as the Climate Summit
gets underway this week in France, we are reminded to pray for all of your
creation. Pope Francis, in his encyclical, “Laudato Si’,” (Praise Be to You)
challenged us with the responsibility of caring for, protecting, overseeing and
preserving Your creation. Here in Palestine and Israel, we sometimes
forget that the occupation has also caused great damage to the land and the
environment and not just the people. The Wall has destroyed agricultural land
on both sides, thousands of olive trees have been uprooted and damaged, the
West Bank is being used as a “garbage dump” for Israeli waste. Your
creation groans under the weight of occupation, waiting also to be liberated
and restored. Help us to make decisions that protect all that you have
given us.
Lord, in your mercy………….
• Lord, we have entered the
Season of Advent, and as the first candle was lit this past Sunday, we were reminded of the hope of your coming and the hope that we hold in our
hearts for justice and peace, here and around the world. We ask special
prayers for Sabeel’s Advent program on December 8 as the women travel to the
town of Taybeh, outside of Ramallah, for a time of reflection at the Latin
Church, followed by a visit to the Home for the Elderly. May your hope and love
be felt by all who take
part.
Lord, in your
mercy...........
• We pray alongside the World
Council of Churches for the countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Lord, in your mercy...........
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