REFLECTION ON THE HOLY LAND
Remembering all the events of the last few weeks, we would like to share this prayer. This prayer was prayed by the Bishops of the Holy Land Co-ordination at their annual meeting held in the region in 2017. https://www.cbcew.org.uk/prayer-and-fasting-for-peace-in-the-holy-land/
O God of our ancestors, you gave us the earth to make our home so that all peoples may live together in harmony. We have allowed our sad divisions to grow, causing discord and fear of one another. We have scarred the land through our pride. May we learn from the past and remember all those who have suffered, all those who have lost their lives. O God of today and every day, you walk alongside us in our daily lives. We seek a place to make our home, where we can live in peace and fulfilment, and our families grow in love and prosperity. May we raise up new foundations, reach out to our neighbours and welcome the stranger in our midst. O God, guide our steps to a future beyond our hopes. Solutions cannot just be drawn like lines on paper but through the changing of hearts and minds. Open our eyes to see that while we suffer, we may also inflict suffering on others; that in trying to protect ourselves we may be leaving less space for trust. God of mercy and compassion we place in your hands this land and all its people guide and support all those who seek to establish that justice which alone ensures true and lasting peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
