#a reminder to not forget palestine in your prayers

[khaanahbadoshiyaan]

ماه رمضان آمد ای یار قمر سیما

The month of Ramadhān arrived Oh moon-faced love

بربند سر سفره بگشای ره بالا

Close tables spread and open the path to above

- Rumi (رومي)

[opencommunion]

July 2014

Gaza-based writer Hedaya Shamun writes — although her writing rituals have disappeared — about the world she sees around her in the first and second nights of “Operation Protective Edge.”

"You all slaughtered Gaza, you all reaped from her heart and you shut your doors and ears in her face. You saw that she is a black spot on your beautiful lives and she has become a burden on your hearts and wellbeing. Before the aggression all of you contributed to her disappointment and you perceived the nourishment of the small children as begging. You said what had not been said about her, but every time she would remind you that she is greater than calling you out on your sins. For who among us is sinless, O gentlemen? But she is a rose whose delightful fragrance wafted with the sea of blood that restored your senses and your love and perhaps your hatred. Some have expressed this hatred and some retreated and some turned a blind eye and some unsheathed their strength to extract her nectar with the hissing of the Israeli warplanes.

... How will we return to life its splendor after the bodies of the young are stolen? He carries his body in his hands and needs no coffin. His hands have become a coffin for his child shrouded in white cloth. He walks with his head high and his tears flowing. But he is lucky that he is still alive to pay his child the last honors. Entire families were buried in their homes and no one remained to pay them these last honors.  It is so simple. In this civilized world of international rights and conventions and the right to life and the right to housing and the right to education and the right of expression, these rights are not for Palestinians but for someone else…

Who really cares about women running in prayer clothes, the ones at hand when they escaped from the black hatred descending upon them from the top of a rocket shattering her dreams and making them a morsel appropriate for suffering and oppression and pain. She carries a child; she carries a bloody heart; she carries pain. She forgets an elderly person and she forgets her own heart in the corner of the house. She is afraid to look back so that she does not see her loved ones imbued with their blood. She runs and keeps running without end because if she stops she will never run again.

There are no spaces for life. No place to return. All of Gaza bids farewell to herself every night and congratulates those who remain alive the morning of another day. They inspect their bodies then run their hands over the living. They close their eyes then open them, and once again call the members of their families one by one…so that the memory of their names does not fail and their spirits do not disappear. Who cries for whom? The unlucky are left alone to survive without a family as it was martyred in its entirety.

... A bloody night in Rafah. The shelling has not stopped nor did it go silent. I write a word and I am delirious with words. Where do we live? And why this abominable silence towards our death? Is our death that cheap? Do our lives mean anything to anyone? Is it enough that you cry, shed tears, and that a choking in the heart come upon you? You are the hope to scream loudly against Israeli murder and terrorism. You are the hope to translate the sufferings of these people and their lives that disappeared in a push of a button by a pilot playing frivolously in his warplane like a spoiled child does with an expensive toy. He kills, destroys, and takes revenge on the children of Palestine.

A bloody night. This is my account of just one night. Would you bear another night?"

[unsentlettersforpalestine]

Friday, April 12, 2024

To you, fellow human

What time did you get up? Did you get enough sleep? How was your morning? What did you have for breakfast? You took shower with clean water, didn't you? Did you hear some birds chirping ? The morning breeze was certainly very tranquilizing, wasn't it? You were able to do your morning routine without any hindrance, right? There might be some inconveniences during the day but overall it's been quite a good day, right?

While you are spending your day with your family, relatives, friends, coworkers, clients, neighbors, strangers, or even only by yourself, don't forget to take some time alone to express gratitude. Contemplate about all the blessings God has given to you. Realize that you are living a damn good life. Make no mistake, I am not trying to belittle your problems or the shit you've been dealing with, but trust me when I say: you're lucky. Because you really are.

You might unintentionally come up with some grievances about your life every now and then, but be brutally honest and tell me, on a scale from one to ten, how much you are grateful for your life? Five? Six? Seven? Eight? If your answer is under 5, then I am begging you, please, sit down for a couple of minutes and listen to me.

I know we all have our own problems—both major and minor. But tell me, has someone ever bombed your house? Have you ever felt afraid of being kidnapped or ruthlessly tortured or sexually assaulted or shot at? Have you ever lost a bunch of family members and relatives and neighbors and friends at the same time? Do you, by any chance, know what it feels to experience forced starvation not for a day, not for a week, but for a really long period of time? Have you ever ran out of water, electricity, and fuel for months? The answer for all these questions is a clear no, right?

You are lucky. I am lucky. We are all lucky. Because despite everything, we are living a decent life. We have all that we need (or most of what we need or whatever) and we have never gone through what Palestinians have been going through for more than 75 years. Even the biggest ordeal that we ever went through is nothing compared to what Palestinians are constantly going through.

Some of us might complain about the same/ similar menu we have on a regular basis, don't we ever realize what a luxury it is have enough foor and be able to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day? Palestinians are literally being starved to death by Israshit and some of them don't even have a small bag of flour to make simple bread and look at us, here we are shamelessly throwing our foods away. Palestinians feel happiest when they can get a bag of flour and a glass of drinkable water but here, we are constantly grousing over trivial matters—be it intentionally or unintentionally.

It's worth nothing that regardless of what our respective life looks like, we are all privileged. Because unlike Palestinians, we are living a pretty decent life. We are never living under continual brutal occupation. We are not being massacred. We are never going through a fucking genocide. We are safe. We are good, we truly are.

Just a friendly reminder that as a human being, we have a duty to bear witness, be in solidarity and support Palestinians in any shape or form. I am not asking you to ceaselessly watch harrowing pictures and videos coming out of Palestine. I am simply asking you to have some sympathy with them. Do something, anything, to help them. Use the voice that has been bestowed upon by God for you. Spread awareness. Educate yourself and the people around you about Palestinian cause. Go to the nearby protests if you can. Have uncomfortable conversations with both friends and strangers. Don't stop talking about Palestine. Always remember Palestinians in your day-to-day life. And most importantly, keep making prayer for them.

FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

[sunlovemoon]

Ramadan Mubarak to each and everyone 🌙 May Allah accept all your acts of worship and fasts this year and may you grow closer to Him than ever before may your heart heals✨ May we see a free Palestine next Ramadan, keep those suffering in your duas this month, Pray for Palestine. Through every minute of every day of the blessed month of Ramadan. And especially pray during the moment you break your fast, and pray your Tahajjud. Pray, pray, pray. Never forget Palestine. It's a sorrow above sorrow that we enter such time while Gaza is still suffering. So remember that We received messages from Palestinians asking us not to share pictures of food and family gatherings as we do each year. As they lay there, starved, each family missing many members to at least keep them in our thoughts and prayers. May Allah grant us the strength to overcome our hardships and bless us with the relief that we have been waiting so patiently for. may this blessed month shine light through any darkness enshrouding our hearts, and remind us of our purpose in this world. ameen 🌟

[whackk-kermitt]

Hi, I’m Amira from Gaza, 23, and supporting my family after my father’s death. My mother is ill, and our home was destroyed in the shelling🍉🍉.

We are now living in tents. Please help by donating or sharing our campaign link to find safety. Thank you and God bless. 🙏🙏

Donate to Amira if you can! Spread the word if you can't.

The world has started to forget about our brothers and sisters in Gaza and the West Bank. Where is the outroar that was bringing like to the evils of our governments? I miss when the world seamed to care.

@amira-world GoFundMe

Palestine is bleeding.

Give your zakat to organizations like:

Save The Children

Save the Children is working around the clock to deliver critical aid to children living in the hardest-to-reach places. The hazardous conditions facing aid workers exacerbate the already deeply dangerous and precarious conditions we're facing in delivering humanitarian assistance to children and families in Gaza.

Islamic Relief Worldwide

Islamic Relief spends your donations in the most effective way possible to relieve the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable people.

We spend the funds on the first category of zakat – the poor and needy. As administrators of zakat, we also take a proportion to cover admin costs of distributing aid (e.g the cost of petrol to transport the aid to a remote community). When you make a zakat donation, we take a fixed amount of up to 12.5% in admin fees.

Human Appeal

Support vulnerable families with just 2.5% of your wealth

The Prophet (PBUH) said, “(In order to enter Paradise) you should worship Allah and do not ascribe any partners to Him, offer prayer perfectly, pay the Zakat and keep good relations with your Kith and kin." (Hadith Bukhari)

When you entrust your Zakat to us, we hold ourselves accountable to you, to those who benefit from your Zakat, to the Most Merciful, Allah.

Zakat reminds us that our wealth is bestowed upon us by Allah. By purifying it for His sake, we fulfil our responsibilities as privileged individuals.

UNRWA - United Nations Relief and Works

Today, bring your sense of solidarity and compassion to life by supporting Palestine Refugees and displaced people across the region. Give now and provide vital food and cash assistance to thousands of families in dire need.

From the River to the Sea Palestine Will Be Free.

I am so sorry to my brothers and sisters in Palestine. I'm sorry the world has abandoned the worth of your souls for the worth of land and oil. I am sorry that this is the horror that human beings are capable of. I am sorry for your loss. I am sorry I have little power to change it and to help.

Allah is with you, he knows the price you’ve paid. I pray he will grant you all Jannah.

As-salaam alaikum.

My heart resides in Palestine. 🇵🇸 🍉 ❤️ 

[kuhreem]

i took this photo at a pro palestine demonstration a few weeks ago and have been thinking about it since

i took this photo at a pro palestine demonstration a few weeks ago i have been thinking about it since. i dont really understand why the white christian protestor joining in prayer with all of the muslim protestors effected me so much, but it did. its so easy to fall into a hole of grief and depression, and a lot of times it feels like its almost easier to just keep it to yourself and keep it pushing. im not gonna lie im fucked up after these past few weeks, all of the death and pain ive been seeing will never leave my mind. i cry at least once a day, i feel physically sick, every single day, and im constantly feeling like im not doing enough — and its tough to voice that feeling, even now i feel weird sharing about how weird the genocide in gaza has been making me feel because i have the luxury of doing so from my apartment in boston, so far removed from any of the very real danger palestinians in gaza (and the west bank) are living in right now. showing up at protests, donating, boycotting, and lending my voice, my (small) platform, and privilege to those who dont have the same resources feels like the least i can do, but it also feels like the most which is so frustrating. i wish i could force people to listen to reason but unfortunately thats not how the world works, and when your dms and timelines are being flooded with extremely hateful and dangerous rhetoric its easy to forget how many people are standing with you and standing for palestine. seeing this protestor that looked nothing like me reminded me of that, and made me feel less like all of my efforts were just screams into an echo chamber filled with people who could be my cousins. it proved to me that we have been making an impact, and that was enough to make me feel really good.

for any non/arab readers: i think its especially important when you all speak up and show up to protests and demonstrations because it proves to world leaders that this is a global issue, and that the entire world is watching. not to say that you should speak on things you arent educated about (you shouldnt), but for those of you that have been considering getting more involved but are nervous or unsure of what your impact might be, know that it is very large. 

to any white readers specifically, i want to point out and make sure you all understand just how powerful your voices are in particular. i dont mean to be that guy that always talks about white privilege but you are seen as a voice of reason in this country (the us), and around the world. your opponents arent as quick to label you as a terrorist, or whatever other racist shit they can come up with, so i urge (beg) you to take advantage of that!!  

[pxgeturner]

The other day, I was told that I should not feel as deeply as I do, for the ongoing horrors in Palestine. I was told that I should not feel loyalty to Palestine because I am not Palestinian, and that although I have Iraqi blood, that is all have, that the Arab-Muslim community in my area, rejected me when I was a child and that those people would never claim me again. That I do not have the culture and therefore am not Arab. These were things I was told by someone who is incredibly close to me. And while I understand that there was good intend in them not wanting me to sacrifice my mental health for activism, their words hurt more than they healed.

All this is to say that even if they are right and I am not Palestinian, am not Arab, am not Muslim, that does not mean I do not and you do not need to empathize and be active for this cause. And please, if you care about the genocide unfolding in Gaza, do not be a silent empathizer because prayer can only get us so far. do not stop talking to whoever will listen to you about Palestine. In fact, in my Community Justice course, my prof is just gave me the first few minutes to remind everyone that the strike is still ongoing and to give them resources as to how they can get involved.

also, don't forget to do your Arab.org clicks of the day, you can do one on each of your devices, so please max that out.

[gavisuntiedboot]

Im really scared of what happened to Ukraine and Russia in social media is going to happen to Palestine. I mean, the posts were getting lesser and lesser and now no one talks abt it anymore. Palestines greatest power at the moment is social media.

also big thank you to giving everyone here more awareness about the situation. I,myself, didn’t know that much about it until you put it on here. Prayers going out for Palestinians.

take care guys.

Thank you lovely <3 just a reminder that your voice is never silent. There is always someone who can hear you and listen from you.

It’s scary knowing that Palestine is slowly dying as a “hot topic”, but we are used to this. We had these flare ups of caring in 2021 that fizzled. We have them now, and eventually they will start to wane and fade. But Palestinians and Palestinian strength is something that will touch you permanently. Just like I’ve been forever changed by the determination of Hawaiian natives, the first people of Aotera, Puerto Ricans, the Sudanese, the Congolese, and all other people fighting for their rights. It will be impossible to forget them. Social media waves can pass. But make sure you are moving forward in your every day life in a way that values the life and liberty of the oppressed.

[firstumcschenectady]

“Seeking Peace” based on 1 Corinthians 6:1-6 and Luke 6:43-45

I tend to believe the the quote from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” This makes me quite skeptical of both-sides-ism. To be fair, the primary justice issue I've worked on in my life is justice for LGBTQIA+ people, and the difference between teenagers committing suicide because they're told they're not loved and straight cis-people feeling uncomfortable is a great example of things NOT being equal.

However, today a part of my heart is in my throat, thinking about the conflict in the Middle East, and I can't make sense out of it. There aren't easy answers in Palestine and Israel. There is pain and suffering of generations, and worldwide context, and vulnerable people everywhere. And there are clear and abundant violations of human rights and human dignities. This is a case of both/and, I think.

I have been reminded this week to hold the history of Israel in context. Of course, I thought I was doing that, and I wasn't. Modern Israel was created out of the need for a space for Jewish people to have self-determination after Christian neighbors and so-called Christian Countries proved themselves unwilling to hold Jewish life as sacred. This, of course, culminated in the Holocaust, which Elie Wiesel survived, but the Holocaust was an single extreme expression of the constant antisemitism of the world.

I wonder, from the perspective of 2023, if the choices made to create modern Israel were less supportive of Jewish life than they seemed at the time. A friend told me this week that if Israel's neighbors laid down their weapons, there would be peace, but if Israel laid down their weapons, there would be no Israel. Because the powers of the world made decisions to create modern Israel, but did so without the cooperation and consent of the other nations in that region, and without an adequate plan for the people who had already been living in Israel. How did they think this would play out? Did they care?

There isn't much space in our lives for context, and nuance, and careful conversations. There isn't space for both/and. There isn't a lot of space for acknowledging that Hamas was definitely, completely wrong in their attacks – it was barbaric terrorism AND that the blockades and attacks on Gaza are excessive and inhumane. We're told we have to pick: be for one side or the other, either forget the centuries of antisemitism that our own faith tradition created and nurtured and stand for the downtrodden Palestinians OR forget the consistency of inhumane treatment of Muslims and Christians in Palestine, and stand for the Israelite state.

For those of us who believe they're ALL God's people, ALL God's chosen, ALL God's beloveds, Israel and Palestine looks like pain and horror right now. In trying to find the balance in this sermon, I sought wisdom from others whose eyes see what I fail. They reminded me that one way to stand for Israelis and for Palestinians is to stand against Hamas, who not only brutally attacked innocents, but also did so knowing the response would kill Palestinians in large numbers. Can we stand for our Jewish siblings here, around the world, and in Israel while standing for our Palestinian siblings? I believe we can, but it takes a willingness to look deeply, to be uncomfortable, and to shy away from fast talking points.

The Mennonite Church of Canada wrote a prayer lament and intercession for Palestine and Israel and I invite you to join me in the spirit of prayer1:

God of love and justice, our hearts are perplexed, paralyzed and broken at the recent carnage in Palestine and Israel. We lament the loss of life and the suffering of so many people. We are shocked at the inhumanity of violence, terrorism, and war.

Our prayers for peace seem to go unanswered. We wish you would intervene. We cling to your promise of a different world, but we see so few signs of its fulfillment. We do not understand.

Still, we continue to believe that you desire life and peace for all people. 

Holy Spirit, strengthen our resolve to advocate for peace, justice, equality, and compassion for all.   Don’t let us turn away.

Comfort all who are overwhelmed with loss—loss of life, loss of homes, loss of safety and security. 

God of the vulnerable and the oppressed, renew the energy and creativity of those committed to nonviolent resistance and change. 

We pray for the communities in the land where our shared faith was born and nurtured. May your love remain bright among your Jewish, Christian, Muslim and people. May they recognize your hand in their lives, even amidst the suffering. We pray for your peoples around the world, wishing hope, health, safety, and abundance for all.

God of all nations, guide our own government to respond in ways that support the legitimate rights of all, especially those who are most vulnerable, those who continue to suffer after generations of occupation, dispossession, and denial of basic human rights and those who fear for their safety.

May your kindom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory, now and forever. 

Amen

You may have heard in our Epistle lesson this morning, a call from Paul for good conflict resolution. And you may have heard in our Gospel lesson this morning a reminder that we are not know by our intentions, but by our fruits. Come to church, hear hard things ;)

All I can offer the Middle East right now is my heartfelt prayers, and my profound compassion. What I can offer in the here and now is a refusal to participate in violence, even in my language. I can affirm the humanity of our Jewish and Muslim siblings in faith, I can acknowledge how horrifying and terrifying this is for anyone with family or friends in Israel and Palestine. And I can hold multiple truths – that Christianity has created the conditions by which Jews are dehumanized and live in fear around the world AND – hey look at us – Christianity has done the same to Muslims and many Christians do the same to Palestinians. Here, in the US – and around the world – I want Jewish people to be SAFE, whole, and assured that we'll have their back. And I want the same for Palestinians of all faiths and for Muslims everywhere. Right? I've been thinking about what God might feel about it all. My best answer is “heartbroken.”

When the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) Board did an intense study of anti-racism, we were given a list of values in anti-racism institutions. One of them was “both/and thinking” and “moving toward collective action.” To be more direct, the training claimed that either/or thinking was a tool of oppression and both/and thinking was needed to make space for all people to be collaborative.2

I think about that a lot. I've noticed in my life that when I'm stuck between a THIS and a THAT, and I notice it, and take time to consider it, and even pray about it, that there is always an undiscovered THIRD WAY I wouldn't have found unless I considered the important parts of THIS and the important parts of THAT together, and realized why I couldn't let either one go. That God is in the both/and, and it can take me a while to find it, but it is always worth finding.

I've heard stories of those who have worked for peace though, have you ever heard them? Those who God has called to be peace-makers who have entered spaces with both sides of this conflict and found ways to let each side be actually heard? To even grieve together? The stories are always of small intentional groups, of people willing to participate, usually not of people in leadership who are most profoundly fixed in their positions (although in this conflict few people are easily moved.) But miracles have happened. People have heard each other. People have cried for each other. People have APOLOGIZED.

This work is being done RIGHT NOW. I learned this week that “one of the crucial movements in the peace space in Israel/Palestine now is the historic partnership between Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun; the latter organization was founded in the summer of 2021, and is comprised of Palestinian women working for peace in the West Bank and Gaza. Women Wage Peace was founded after the Gaza war of 2014, is comprised of Jewish and Arab women who live inside the State of Israel, and has the two primary objectives of 1) Getting Israeli/Palestinian peace negotiations going (and to eventually achieve a "bilaterally acceptable political agreement") and 2) guaranteeing that women are part of the negotiation process.”3 4

Let's hear one story about peace, right now, huh? There is a group called the Parents’ Circle Families Forum—formerly the Bereaved Parents’ Circle. The organization is comprised of Israelis and Palestinians who have lost a family member in the ongoing violence. Their work is the slow work of trust building and creating connections.

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg tells, and reflects on this story: On October 7th, Hersh Goldberg-Polin was kidnapped by Hamas and brought into Gaza. Shortly before the abduction, he lost his arm while protecting his friends from Hamas bullets and grenades; as far as anyone knows, he is badly wounded if he is still alive. He has not been heard from since being taken.

Last week, his mother, Rachel, wrote:

Time is slowly ticking into the future, with these hostages approaching a week in captivity. If he is still alive, how much longer can he survive? His wounds are grievous. I hope someone somewhere is being kind to him, caring for him, attending to him.

Hersh is my whole world, and this evil is the flood that is destroying it. I really don’t know if anything can save it. If anyone knows, please tell me. To save a life, our sages taught, is to save a world. Please help me save my son; it will save my world.

Every single person in Gaza has a mother, or had a mother at some point.

And I would say this, then, as mother to other mothers: If you see Hersh, please help him. I think about it a lot. I really think I would help your son, if he was in front of me, injured, near me.

And that’s the whole of it. “I would help your son.” Your daughter. Your child. Your beloved. Yours.

I understand that yours matters infinite worlds to you, because mine does, to me, and I hope that you see that, too.

I can see the infinity in yours, in fact, if I’m willing to look.1

What incredibly holy work is being done in seeing each other as beloveds. The article that shared that story, framed it in the lens of the holy work of mothering/parenting – and in seeing all the world's children as “yours”. Dear ones, I think that's where the pain comes from when we see brokenness in the world. Because we know all children – all people – to be God's children, in need of good care, and worthy of good and abundant life.

So we seek peace. We seek peace through love by loving all people. This maybe doesn't seem radical enough, or new enough. Maybe it isn't new, but the world has proven to us time and time again, it is radical enough. Let's work on it until we get it right. Then we can try to pull Christianity along ;)

Amen

1https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/article/16090-prayer-of-lament-and-intercession-for-palestine-and-israel, accessed 10/19/2023 Edited.

2Work of Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training. I attended in 2017.

3https://lifeisasacredtext.substack.com/p/a-peacemaking-lens?fbclid=IwAR1y50dbv2q-VxQQ_o1elI_-5UNYuOAEoMIMsEe9Tcg0gGNzHe44TvOKmMA

4The thoughts and concerns of Alice Gomstyn and Elliot Olshansky are peppered throughout this sermon, and I thank them for not letting me bumble along like an idiot, even when it is my job to be informed and not their job to inform me. I'll also note that while they helped me, they can't fix me ;) so mistakes remain my own.

1https://lifeisasacredtext.substack.com/p/a-peacemaking-lens?fbclid=IwAR1y50dbv2q-VxQQ_o1elI_-5UNYuOAEoMIMsEe9Tcg0gGNzHe44TvOKmMA

Rev. Sara E. Baron  First United Methodist Church of Schenectady  603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305  Pronouns: she/her/hers  http://fumcschenectady.org/  https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

October 22, 2023

[i-asifeq]

A reminder to myself first

Make a lot of Du`aa for our brothers and sisters who have been suffering throughout the world, in Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Burma and wherever they may be.

Indeed We have failed them.

Narrated `Ubaadah bin al-Saamit رضي الله عنه I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: 

❝ Whoever seeks Allaah’s forgiveness for the Believing men and Believing women, Allaah will write for him on behalf of every Believer, man and woman, a good deed.❞

[Tabaraanee (2155) and graded as “Hasan” (good) by Shaikh al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jami` (6026)]

Narrated Abu al-Dardaa’ رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say: 

❝The supplication of a Muslim for his brother at his back (in his absence) is responded so long as he makes a supplication for blessings for his brother and the commissioned Angel says: *Ameen*, and says: May it be for you too!❞

[Saheeh Muslim (4920)]

Whether you’re praying your farḍ, sunnah, or nafl prayers, don’t forget to include at least ONE duʿā’ for those suffering in ‪‎Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Burma ‬.

[mubziii]

You can’t break their spirits. May ‎ﷲ‎‬ grant them patience, ease & barakah in their lives. Ameen. As the hype about Palestine dies down don’t forget the situation is still bad in Jerusalem, keep raising awareness & remember them in your special prayers. #charity #oneummah #gaza #palestine #somalia #syria#ramadan #islamicreminders #invitetoislam #makkah #kaaba #salah #sunnah #quotes #reminders #namaz #thetruth #islam #beautyofislam #alhamdulillah #muslim https://www.instagram.com/p/CPkjKrWpZDP/?utm_medium=tumblr

[orthodoxydaily]

EQUAL PAY FOR UNEQUAL WORK?

A Reflection on Today’s Gospel Reading Matthew 20: 1-16

By Archpriest Fr. Basil Rhodes

MATTHEW 20

1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’

According to the holy fathers, the Kingdom of Heaven is God, Who takes on Himself the form of a man (the landowner) and called labourers (us human beings) to toil in His vineyard (the Church.) The word "vineyard" frequently refers to the church in the New Testament, and our Orthodox Bishops, whenever they celebrate the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, in the midst of the singing of the Trisagion, the "Thrice Holy", chant these words: "O Lord, Lord, look down from Heaven, and behold, and visit this vineyard, which Thou hast planted with Thy Right Hand, and establish it!" This is taken from Psalm 79 LXX, showing that the Old Testament also sees The People of God as God's vineyard. Next the parable says that He called some workers at the first hour, meaning from their infancy, being brought by their parents. Others He called at the third hour, like small children. Others He called at the sixth hour, in their young adulthood. Others He called at the ninth hour - in their middle age; and lastly He called those at the eleventh hour, those who were senior citizens. Now we might also understand these hours of the day as the ages of sacred history. St. Theophylact says:

"The Lord, then, called at the first hour those living at the time of Enoch and Noah; at the third hour, those living at the time of Abraham; at the sixth hour, those living at the time of Moses; at the ninth hour, those living at the time of the prophets; at the eleventh hour, namely, at the close of the age, the Gentiles, who had been idle from every good work. No one had hired them because no prophet had been sent to the Gentiles."

8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

So "evening" means the end of the world, the Second Coming. The denarius was a Roman coin, made of silver, and about the size of a dime. It was the usual daily wage of labourers and soldiers in 1st Century Palestine. It was not a "penny" as some translations have it. It was a fair wage. It was the equivalent to the "out in front of Home Depot" negotiated wage (which is $100 now.) In this case, the denarius represents the re-fashioning and renewing of man's nature. A re-stamping, if you will, of the "image and likeness." The denarius always had a clear impression of the emperor's face on it. Here the symbolism is the restoration of human beings to their pre-Fall condition, and more. Now they become true kings and queens. Everyone will receive the same wage, the same gift of the fullness of the Holy Spirit for regeneration. Some grumble. Some complain. They are not actually interested in the renewal. They are more interested in the remuneration! They want more, meaning they want the world AND eternal life. But they have missed the point of their labour. St. John Chrysostom says that in heaven there are not such people as have these attitudes, these jealousies, these envyings.

At the end of verse 15, the Lord asks the question: "Is your eye evil because I am good?" The "evil eye" here refers to wicked and demonic jealousy as well as anger toward Jesus. Do the Pharisees really believe that they should receive more than the Apostles? Yes, of course they do. "We have been labouring in the Law from the beginning, and who are these country-bumpkin, upstart, know-nothings, that they should receive all the fullness of God's gifts?"

And because we are back to comparing the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees with the humble disciples, the Lord reiterates: "The last will be first, and the first last." And then He adds to it: "Many are called but few are chosen…" what do you think this means? Who are the called? We talked about this before. Who are the "called-out-ones?" The Church. "Ekklesia" means the "Called-Out-Ones." Everybody is called by Christ, the New Noah, to come into the ark of the Church, but not all will respond positively. As a side note: the banging of the talanta that calls the faithful to prayer, is supposed to remind us of the sound of Noah building the ark, and calling all of God's creatures to enter in, that they may be saved.

Next question: Who are the "Chosen?" Let's look at one of my favourite sections of Scripture, Philippians 3:7-14….

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Few are "chosen" because they don't "choose back!" Jesus lays hold of me, but I don't lay hold of Him. He chooses me, but I don't choose Him. Paul prays almost desperately that he will grab on, that he won't let go, until he has reached the goal, the prize, the Kingdom of Heaven. St. Paul, by the way, is very clear that salvation and the attainment of the Kingdom of Heaven are not an instantaneous act, but an ongoing process, a race. But we've talked about that before too, and at length, as I recall.

[scottstiles]

clarz

replied to your post

“hi divvy! i know you are MAD right now, so don't answer this until you...”

thanks so much for answering this! tbh i love the fact that you're religious and that you clearly love it so much. i went to a very catholic college, so that kind of thoughtful and deep connection with religion and tradition is important to me, and i love seeing it in other people. it's an important part of who you are! and part of the reason i asked is because you mentioned disliking the performance thing in your initial post, and i really connect with that. when i was growing up, the church i went to was pretty plain and traditional (despite very liberal politics and interpretations of scripture.) most of the other people i knew who went to church were evangelical and/or southern baptist, and i always disliked that their churches had like, full rock bands at services, and poppy contemporary melodies to "hymns." i understand that they're trying to make church fun, but it always made me suspicious and felt disingenuous.                  i don't think religious services should be a chore, certainly, but i also don't think that they should be "fun" in that way. that's not the purpose of religion. i don't think religion should become more like entertainment or performance, because it's supposed to be a space that's completely different from the rest of the world. it makes it feel less holy to me. so i definitely relate to how you feel there. also, how did you end up feeling about the service in the moment? (and i'd love to hear about the ma'apilim sometime)                                            

SORRY I DIDN’T ANSWER THESE BEFORE CUZ I REALLY WANTED TO BUT PROCRASTINATION IS MY MIDDLE NAME (jk it’s tzviya but try saying that ten times fast. or just one time. slow.)

HERE WE GO:

1- i love finding other people who feel close to their religion, no matter what it is. i remember in teacher’s college i just naturally gravitated to the only catholic girls in my classes i guess simply because i enjoyed talking to them? we weren’t there learning to teach religion, but i’m always fascinated by what other people feel about it. i’ve found myself thinking on more than one occasion that i feel more comfortable with people who have that side to themselves, like me, rather than people who don’t interact/think about/believe in any of that kinda stuff. (im being purposefully vague because it’s a huge generalization, but nonetheless true-ish for me, i often find myself sharing much more common ground with palestinian muslims, for example, than a french canadian montrealer). i guess especially because religion is not something i consider a defining trait of mine, and im just in constant evolution with respect to that. judaism is so much more than just a belief in god or a practice of the rituals and commandments.

2- how fascinating to find someone in my age bracket who feels the same way about music in prayer. my problem has always been that i LOVE music, and its so personal and emotional that i DO see it fitting seamlessly with prayer but... it’s the setting that has always bothered me. it just never felt right for me in a synagogue. like you said, it’s just a different space. i don’t know about church and ‘making it fun’ but i definitely can imagine plenty of religions use music to draw in otherwise disinterested people who find prayer “boring” or pointless. music is awesome! i just wish people could feel the music in their soul as a separate entity from external music, like from an instrument. idk i guess i just really love singing XD and i wish it wasn’t always a performance or a competition of voices, because i think prayer should be personal. even if it’s between a community, its still voices connecting to each other. i’m reminded of Hannah’s prayer, in the book of Samuel (the prophet- his mother), she’s at the temple on one of the annual pilgrimages with her family and she’s depressed because she doesn’t have any children and her husband’s other wife just keeps popping out babies left and right. so she goes to be alone somewhere in the temple, and she’s weeping and praying to god for a child. Eli, the high priest, comes in and sees her shaking and moving her lips real fast so he goes, “hey, you shouldn’t be drinking in here” and she’s like “im not drunk, i’m praying”. so that’s the first place we read about a person actually praying, and not out loud. this was like a huge revelation to the priest cuz clearly he’d never seen that before, and now the tradition has become to pray like hannah. (as an aside, if u ever see the propaganda videos made by the nazis, they use footage of synagogues to show how loony tunes those jews are with their muttering and their rocking back and forth). cuz like, prayer is supposed to be out loud? ahaha anyway i forgot where i was going with this but... oh ya, okay, so prayer didn’t really exist (as we know it, in judaism- and therefore christianity/islam/western monotheism) until that point- it was all about the sacrifices. and the temple ritual was replete with music and instruments like the shofar, timbrels, lutes, blabla other ancient instruments. but since then, we’ve been meant to use our voices alone. so says tradition, i guess.

3- so i did go to services on yom kippur (kol nidre) but not at my shul. i went with my sister to the chabad house near my parents, and it was....not great. but it was compounded by a lot of factors- i got a wicked cold the day or two before, so my nose was running a marathon and i was coughing like a 90yr old with emphysema. i got my period that morning so i was on an extra steep emotional rollercoaster that i just somehow could barely control. so we sat on the other side of the mechitzah (the separation barrier between men and women), the rabbi/cantor stood at the head in the middle so we could all see, and we all prayed out loud, no hush on the women’s side or anything (pretty typical from what i remember of camp/school prayer services). but of course the tunes were not quite what i’m used to, and there was a bit of annoying stuff that just irks me as a perfectionist (like they use a lot of yiddish pronunciation of the hebrew words, injecting a bunch of oy oy oys and ahoyhoyhoys in random places, in fact i leaned over to my sister at one point and was like ‘did ned flanders write this nigun (tune)?’), but altogether i guess it was better than watching an orchestra perform the prayer? idk it was pretty bad, on an emotional level, but not in hindsight. im very good at ruining things for myself through sheer stubbornness. i must have embarrassed my sister just by existing next to her, poor girl, she really wanted me to like it. i’m glad it’s over, and hopefully by next year ill be back in nyc or some other city so i wont have to worry about it.

4- MA’APILIM!!!!! okay so this was my absolute favoritest thing as a kid and i can’t wait to describe it to you. one night in camp, every summer, the counselors and cits would wake us up at like 3am by barging into our cabins chanting (screaming, really) “MA’APILIM, MA’APILIM BEH-MASSAD, BEH-MASSAD. MATCHIL HALAYLA MATCHIL HALAYLA BEH-MASSAD, BEH-MASSAD.” which translates to : “ma’apilim at massad (the name of my camp) starts tonight.” i’m singing it in my head as i type XD. so they’d be screaming and we’d be tumbling bleary eyed out of bed to grab our socks and sweatshirts and run over to the flagpole (keep in mind i was 8 when i first experienced this, and we’ve had kids as young as 6 at camp). once we had all gathered in line with our bunkmates, the counselors and cits put on a little “skit”.

basically they acted like they were nazis and jews, and did a little skit of some basic bad holocaust stuff (don’t ask me to remember the exact details we’re talkin at least 20 years since i last did this) to scare the pants off of us. kids would always cry already at this point from the shouting. we’d all kinda follow into this “play” (sorry idk what else to call it), and marched over to the gym where we watched a fake hanging on the stage. they literally. hanged someone. in front of us. a fake noose, of course, duh, i remember my counselor showing it to me, but traumatizing to say the least (i still remember the name of the counselor they “hanged”- not sure this ever happened more than once but ill never forget it).

then we’d all hustle down to the waterfront, again “playing” the role of holocaust victims/survivors after these little “skits” had sort of put us in the headspace, and we play along, imagining we’d just experienced these things and were now running from it. it was terrifying and exhilarating as a small child, and an even more unbelievably emotional thrill ride as i got older and became pseudo-obsessed with holocaust lit and facts in general in my life (it never did go away but everything changes with age). ANYWAYS so down at the waterfront we got a speech from another counselor playing a member of the haganah (the main jewish defense force in palestine leading up to independence, which ben gurion later turned into the IDF). sidebar for a little history: in the 40s the yishuv (jewish agency) and the haganah began a mission called aliyah bet, “the second immigration,” an illegal smuggling operation to bring refugees from the holocaust into palestine under the noses of the british, since almost all countries in the world had barred their doors to jewish immigration from europe (a high level member of the canadian government is famously recorded as having answered, when asked how many jews they should let in, that “none is too many”). volunteer seamen from the US and canada and other countries crossed the ocean on cargo ships hastily refurbished to fit hundreds of people, picking up thousands of refugees in europe to smuggle them onto the beaches of haifa and tel aviv. paul newman has a lovely half nekid scene of this in the movie Exodus when he jumps off the ship in the middle of the night and swims up onto the beach- one of my fave movies ever and pretty much the story of aliyah bet (albeit with tremendous hollywood embellishment and only mild accuracy). these refugees who became illegal immigrants (caught or not) were known as “ma’apilim”- the root of the word is to “climb” or to “rise up”, and is found in the bible referring to the israelites who were still eager to enter the land even after the negative report of the spies.

okay so basically this was the idea. we were “playing” these illegal immigrants who had just escaped the holocaust, and were now facing another threat in the form of the british who were doing their best to keep them out of palestine. k so we’re down at the waterfront. all the kids get divided into small groups of about 10 or so, with one or two counselors at the helm to be our “haganah operatives” and guides to the end. what end, you say? so the camp is spread out into 2 areas, the main camp where the younger kids cabins were, and the dining hall and the gym and the waterfront, etc. then there’s a road in the middle of the camp, and beyond it a hill leading up to the senior cabins and some sports fields at the top. the goal was for each group to make it through camp to the top of the hill without getting caught by the “british,” played by the cits who were roaming around camp.

idk if i have to describe camp further for people who don’t know the concept, but basically we’re all in the middle of the damn woods with nothing around us for miles except the lake and the camps on the other side of it or down the road. ill never forget my first ma’apilim (tbh most of my description is from then, which is why its so fuzzy cuz these memories are 20+ years old), i was so lucky to get the tripper as our group leader (the tripper is the “nature dude” in camp, the survivalist ;). he immediately led us underneath the gym (which of course was just insane to my small mind... UNDER the gym??) to plan our route and give us instructions. we organized a roll call and signals, we practiced walking in a single file line silently and dropping to the ground on his signal. we smeared dirt on our faces for camo in the woods. it was *mason voice* intense. k so then as you can guess, we snuck our way up the hill through the woods. sometimes we’d encounter other groups, once in awhile i remember getting caught by a cit, and they’d take all or some of us to the “jail” on the basketball court” where we’d have to wait for a jailbreak (idk how that worked but it did, i remember it happening but not in any detail). a famous prison break that DID happen was at acre prison in 1947 when the irgun (another paramilitary jewish group) blew up the prison and broke out 28 of their members and 214 arab prisoners. if im not mistaken they briefly refer to it in exodus by recreating a prison break. exciting times. ANYWAYS fuck im such a tangential bitch sorry XD, by the end of the night we’d all make it to the top- “jerusalem”- and we’d have hot chocolate and say morning prayers as the sun rose over the hill. 

i feel like my description is a little lacking, but hopefully u get the basic picture. ma’apilim wasn;t even the heaviest part of camp- that was tisha b’av- the fast day when we commemorate the destruction of the temple and every other traumatic destructive event the jewish people have gone thru. that night they’d prepare the camp with candles in sand filled paper bags lining all the paths. after dinner we’d walk with our bunks on the path and watch little skits in different parts of camp- scenes from these moments in jewish history, like the holocaust, pogroms in europe, the spanish inquisition, terror attacks in israel, etc. after walking the path we’d all convene back at the waterfront, where they’d set out a small reconstructed “temple” on a makeshift raft in the lake, and a banner on the beach that said “yizkor”- remember. then they’d light both on fire and we’d sit and watch them burn while singing appropriately somber songs like eli eli, by hannah senesz. after that we’d go back to the gym and lie on the floor in small groups huddled around candles. we’d listen as some people chanted the book of eicha (lamentations), and would slowly fall asleep (depending on our age, of course). anyone that was still up after that was over got to stay in the gym if they wanted to watch exodus- a 4 hour movie. the next day we’d fast all day (only those who wanted- 13 y/o +) and treated it basically like shabbat- no regular activities.

MAN did i get some wild shit imprinted on me from camp!! but i don’t regret one second. i only wish other people could have the experience i did, but i dont even know if they still do that there. they probably do, but this old lady has no excuses to step foot in a summer camp anymore :(

as a completely coincidental aside and not at all as a self promo, idk if u knew this but i’ve been working on a documentary for over a year now and this whole thing is a major part of the plot. i interviewed a lady who was a passenger on the exodus, and about 4 or 5 people who were volunteers from montreal/new york/new jersey/toronto that picked up and smuggled the refugees. the stories are incredible. i just hope the rest of the world will get to hear it from their mouths one day. all we need is 100k to finish the film XD

[cfijerusalem]

WATCHING OVER ZION-  May 4, 2017 Update.

THE WORD

Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth… I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you… (Isaiah 46:3-10) 

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD! Awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old… So the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 51:9-11) 

POINTERS FOR PRAYER: 

Israel celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut last Tuesday. As the re-birthed state is another year older, may we, who are called to uphold the nation of Israel by our prayer, remain faithful to the God of Israel, and pray for His continued protection for the whole nation.  As Israel celebrate, pray that the nation would have a clear vision of what God has called them to be, and that the strong resolute spirit of the Jewish people would enable them to see the Lord God at work within them.  Pray that the Lord would pour out His Spirit upon Israel - especially upon the young people so that His works can be declared to future generations.  May they stay united, flourish and never forget the One Who holds His hand over their existence.

As I stated two weeks ago, world events appear to be getting out of control.  If we look at North Korea, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the PLO etc. – of whom all are threatening Israel or attempting to remove the Jewish people from Israel – then we must realise there is much to ponder on and pray into here.  Before we do that however, let us seek the Lord to quieten our heart, so that the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon each of us; and that the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and might; the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord might enable us to truly intercede for these complex and difficult issues regarding all who oppose Israel. Pray that we will be in the correct position (spiritually) to know how to intercede, and have wisdom and discernment for when to speak up and when to remain silent.  

YOM HA’ATZMAUT 2017

Israel this week turned 69 years old.  However, according to the Jewish calendar - it is actually 5777 years young. After two thousand years of exile, the Jewish nation of Israel was re-birthed on the 14th May 1948, thus fulfilling prophecies in the Word of God from Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah etc.  If only the church at large would truly be like the Bereans in Acts 17, they would be enriched all the more, and would cease from opposing the Lord God! (Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Torah (the Scriptures) every day to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11).  The biblical emphasis on Israel’s ownership does not diminish, but rather increases with the passage of time (See Jeremiah 30:3; Ezekiel 36:24; Amos 9:15.).  Will we see Israel expand further in a time to come? God also promised a second regathering of His people to their land (which has been and continues to be a fulfilment of Scriptures since the 1800s to present day - check out Isaiah 11:11-14 etc.).

Without doubt, this return of the Jewish nation is a miracle which was against all the odds.  From the horrors of watching six million Jews exterminated in the Holocaust, Israel then survived the War of Independence in 1948 that followed as the Arab armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon invaded the re-birthed Jewish state.  Since the 1948 War of Independence, Israel has had to fight many wars with its Arab neighbours. The Arab nations have repeatedly expressed their objective of destroying Israel.  Last Monday, Israel remembered their fallen soldiers during the Yom Hazikaron ceremonies before celebrating their ‘Independence Day’ on Tuesday.  However, even today Israel wakes up to find their enemies seeking their destruction.  Yom Hazikaron is a poignant reminder of the toll of war. Each year Israel remembers Israeli soldiers and citizens who were killed in defending the State of Israel.  The service, which takes place just before Independence Day includes prayers, songs, poems and other tributes as a reminder of the individuals who lost their lives.  Yet even today, Israel’s cities and land are continually threatened by terror. Even today, farmers working the land face the danger of death from snipers, while boys and girls must flee to bomb shelters fearing rockets and missiles. Yet even so, Israel is still a land and nation of beauty.  Today, one can travel from the snow-capped mountains in the north, via the beautiful Sea of Galilee, before going across to Netanya on the Mediterranean Sea and Tel Aviv.  One can then journey to Jerusalem and over to the Dead Sea, and finally after a hot trek in the Negev desert, swim in the wonderful clear Red Sea at Eilat.  And all this in a nation the size of Wales!

Without doubt, the re-birth of sovereign Israel astounded the world. Never before had an entire race of people been re-established as a nation. When the Jewish people began to make Aliyah (return) to their Biblical homeland in the 1880s, who could have foretold that the culmination of that homecoming would be too late for millions of Jews?  Who could have foreseen the 6 million Jews murdered during the Nazi Holocaust? Who could have known that three short years after the Holocaust, the 1948 War of Independence would be but the first war within Israel for further wars to come? Who would have thought that Israel would have to fight for its very survival in 1948, 1967, 1973, and throughout the years that followed?

But much has changed in 69 years if one thinks of what Israel has done; how the Land and wilderness has blossomed, and how Israel has changed the world through new inventions such as the mobile phone, computers, gadgets like the memory stick, solar windows and a space camera.  Israelis have invented much of the technology used in the world today such as instant messaging, firewall security software, Intel wireless computer chips, numerous medicines, and miniature video camera capsules to examine internal organs.  One of Israel’s sources of pride is the enormous number of inventions and innovations that have taken root on its soil over 69 years — despite challenges of geography, size and diplomacy. The ever-churning Israeli mind has brought us drip irrigation, the cherry tomato, the electric car grid.  Robotic Spine Assists and other surgical robots are transforming spine surgery from freehand procedures to highly accurate, state-of-the-art operations with less need for radiation.  Indeed, a lot has changed in 69 years… yet really... what has changed?  The world still appears to hate the Jews and opposes Israel for simply existing.   

Sixty nine years later, and Israel celebrates her 69th birthday of the re-born nation.  Even as Abbas demands his Islamic state in the heart land of Israel; even as Hamas continues to fire rockets from Gaza; even as Iran and North Korea along with Hezbollah in the north threatens to wipe Israel off the face of the map; even as the Middle East continues to rock at the revolt of one Islamic group murdering their own Islam brothers… even in the midst of all this turmoil, Israel celebrates and continues to bless the world with its inventions and humanitarian work.  Sixty nine years of toil and pain… yet we stand as one in saying, “Thank you Israel, for all you have done for our world… may the Lord Almighty bless you and protect you. Shalom Aleichem (שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם‎) and ‘am Yisrael chai (עם ישראל חי)!  - The people of Israel live!

NO APOLOGY FOR BALFOUR DECLARATION

The UK have firmly told the Arab Palestinians, along with all who oppose the nation of Israel, that there will be no apology regarding the Balfour Declaration.  Her Majesty’s government slammed the door shut regarding an online petition, and stated that it is proud of the role Britain played in re-establishing the Jewish state of Israel. This is indeed good news.  The British government emphatically refused to apologize for the publication, a century ago, of the document that legitimized the re-creation of a future Jewish state, saying instead that it is proud of the role Britain played in establishing Israel.  In February, the Balfour Apology Campaign, run by the ‘Palestinian Return Centre rights group’, launched a petition on the British parliament website calling on Britain to, “openly apologise to the Islamic Arab Palestinian people for issuing the Balfour Declaration. The colonial policy of Britain between 1917-1948 led to mass displacement of the Palestinian nation.” The truth of course is that before 1948, the Palestinian people were actually referred to as the Jewish people, for example what is today’s Jerusalem Post was ‘The Palestine Post’ – a Jewish newspaper. The modern day Arab Palestinians are a modern invention after 1964 when Arafat created the PLO, by taking a redundant name ‘Palestine’ (as the land was now referred to its Biblical name ‘Israel’) and applying it to his terrorists organisation.  

As for the statement, “The colonial policy of Britain between 1917-1948 leading to mass displacement of the Palestinian nation…” again this is completely inaccurate, as there was no Arab Palestinian Nation ruled by Arabs, and never has been.  As for ‘mass displacement’, it was actually the Arab leaders who told their own people to leave so that when the six Arab nations that attacked the tiny Jewish state had wiped Israel out and won the war, then they could return.  The problem was however, the six Arab nations lost the war.  However, what about the 856,000 Jews that were expelled from the Arab Nations?  Why has there been little concern over these? Out of the 856,000 Jews living in Arab countries in 1948, the overwhelming majority found refuge from Arab persecution in Israel. The remaining Jews, like the ‘Arab Palestinians’, were dispersed throughout the world.  Last week the UK Foreign Office posted a response to the petition, stating. “The Balfour Declaration is an historic statement for which her Majesty’s Government does not intend to apologise,” the response began. “We are proud of our role in creating the State of Israel. The task now is to encourage moves towards peace.” Signed on November 2, 1917 by the UK’s then foreign secretary, Arthur James Balfour, the declaration announced his government’s intention to establish “a national home for the Jewish people” in the Land of Israel.  

However, on top of this, it is impossible to understand the complex legal implications of the Arab-Israel issue without an acquaintance with the basics of context of the 1920 San Remo Resolution.  As I have written before in these reports, both the San Remo Resolution and the Balfour Declaration charged Britain with the duty to facilitate Jewish immigration and settlement by Jews in the territory which then included Transjordan, which had already been adopted by the other Allied Powers. As a trustee, Britain had a fiduciary duty (the highest standard of care) to act in good faith in carrying out the duties imposed by the Mandate.  Furthermore, as the San Remo resolution has never been abrogated (repealed, revoked etc.) it was and continues to be legally binding between the several parties who signed it. It is therefore obvious that the legitimacy of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and the Jewish state all derive from the same international agreement at San Remo.  So if anyone (including the United Nations and UNESCO) attempt to renege on their part to Israel, then they must do likewise to Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.  

גְּבוּל (G’vul) - Praying along the borders (part two)   In my last report, I mentioned about the need to be praying along Israel’s borders.  Well, lots of issues have happened since then, but for all those of you who have been praying, we are truly grateful.  However the need continues.   Last Friday, Arutz Sheva (Israel National News) reported that members of the PLO/Fatah Central Committee had sent an official letter of congratulations to Syrian President Bashir Assad expressing support for the Syrian people in its struggle against “the terrorist organizations.”  So who exactly is the PLO? And are not Fatah guilty of acts of terrorism? So is this a case of one terrorist group praising another terrorist group for fighting terrorists?  Really… you couldn't make this up!  However, on Friday 28th April 2017, reports came in that Israel had shot down a Syrian drone over the Golan Heights.  According to sources, Israel fired a Patriot anti-ballistic missile in north Israel, reportedly intercepting a drone that entered Israel’s airspace from Syria. The interception came hours after Israel allegedly struck a Hezbollah arms depot near Damascus International Airport, a move condemned by Russia, which called it a “gross violation of Syrian sovereignty.”

In March 2017, Syria warned that scud missiles would be fired toward Israeli targets if Israel carried out any further air strikes in the war-torn country. Beirut’s Ad-Diyar daily reported that Damascus had prepared four scuds out of their arsenal of 800, which can carry half a ton of explosives, and would launch them without any prior warning if Israel carried out a strike.  Israel’s air defence systems include the Iron Dome, which is designed to shoot down short-range rockets, the Arrow, which intercepts ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere, and the newly operational David’s Sling missile defence system, which is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles and medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles.  

Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah has also warned that the terrorist group is able to hit “the entirety of occupied Palestine with missiles,” but according to a senior Israeli Army officer in the Air Defence Command, Israel is now able to protect more territory from enemy rockets or missiles than before. The border with Syria has been tense since the civil war erupted in 2011, and while Israel is suspected of carrying out strikes against Hezbollah weapons convoys in Syrian territory, it rarely publicly admits to them.  On top of all this of course, is North Korea.  You may remember that when Israel destroyed Syria's nascent nuclear program, it was quickly discovered that North Korea had provided the know-how and hardware to the defiant Arab dictatorship.  It is also known that North Korea is in league with some of the Middle East’s more ‘unsavoury’ players, all of whom want to see Israel annihilated.  As such, few Israeli tears would be shed if Trump followed through on his threats to end the North Korean regime.

Following Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s comments regarding this last week, the North Korean government responded with a stern warning for Israel: “The reckless remarks of the Israeli defence minister are sordid and wicked behaviour and a grave challenge to the DPRK (North Korea).”  The statement went on to threaten Israel and any other nation that damages the "dignity" of the North Korean leadership with “merciless, thousand-fold punishment.”

FINALLY... PAUSE FOR THOUGHT.

As Yom Ha’atzmaut was starting on Monday evening, I was sat waiting for the ITV programme 'Little Boy Blue' to start on the TV. The programme is a crime drama based on a tragic true story of when eleven-year-old Everton fan Rhys Jones was brutally killed by a shooting. I remember that when this incident took place 10 years ago, this senseless killing shocked the country. Now, ITV has turned the story into a four-part drama. Little Boy Blue revisits the murder of the 11-year-old Liverpool boy Rhys Jones, killed by a local gang member while going home from football practice.  On the evening of August 22, 2007, Jones was caught in the conflict between two gangs while crossing a pub car-park. Sean Mercer – a 16-year-old in one of the gangs began shooting at two members of the rival gang, but one of Mercer's stray bullets hit the 11-year-old in the neck, and Mercer fled the scene. Paramedics spent an hour and a half trying to resuscitate the boy, but were unable to save Rhys Jones' life.

The programme is hard to watch, but what shocked me before the programme started was an advert for holidays in Israel. I was stunned. The advert stated, "Two cosmopolitan Cities on one unforgettable break. Visit Jerusalem's breath-taking beauties with a captivating blend of antiquity and contemporary, cultural treasures and world heritage sights. And explore Tel Aviv - the city that never stops: Beautiful beaches, outdoor activities and entertainment." I thought "WOW"... but then I thought about what was to come... a hard true story of a young boy who was an innocent victim of mob hatred.  I wrestled with the idea of selling holidays before a serious true story this like. However, I then thought about the whole picture.

Liverpool is a fantastic city, lots of history and it's a city I love to go to. Yes, they have had their problems and riots and gangs and murders have marred this beautiful city. But that shouldn't cause people not to come and visit Liverpool.  But how many young kids (and other families) have been shot, stabbed, blown apart etc. in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem? Hundreds! In many ways the likeness between the gang thugs of Liverpool and the Arab Palestinian Terrorists trying to wipe out Israelis are similar. It's a mind-set of hatred and evil. Yet should these gangs cause people not to want to experience to sights and history of Liverpool - a fabulous city? Absolutely not. Likewise... if you're never been to Israel and experienced Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the many other fabulous places of this awesome country, now is a good time to go!  See the advert here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29qBlW72p1k

Compiled by David Soakell

(CFI Church Liaison Officer (UK) & WoZ News Report Correspondent) E-mail david@cfi.org.uk Website: www.cfi.org.uk

~ May 4, 2017 ~ (Iyar 8, 5777)

[romancatholicreflections]

21st January >> Sunday Homilies & Reflections for Roman Catholics on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B.

Sunday Homily

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Gospel reading: Mark 1:14-20

vs.14 After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God.vs.15 “The time has come” he said “and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.”

vs.16 As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen.vs.17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fisher of men.” vs.18 And at once they left their nets and followed him.vs.19 Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at oncevs.20 and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

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We have four commentators available from whom you may wish to choose . Scroll down to the name of the commentator.

Michel DeVerteuil :     A Trinidadian Holy Ghost Father, late director of the Centre of Biblical renewal . Thomas O’Loughlin:  Professor of Historical Theology, University of Wales, Lampeter. Sean Goan:                    Studied scripture in Rome, Jerusalem and Chicago and teaches at Blackrock College and works with Le Chéile Donal Neary SJ:         Editor of The Sacred Heart Messenger and National Director of The Apostlship of Prayer.

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Michel DeVerteuil Lectio Divina with the Sunday Gospels www.columba.ie

General Comments

On this Sunday, we begin the continuous reading of St Mark’s gospel, which will be interrupted during Lent and Easter but will eventually take us to the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem in November of this year.

The journey begins in Galilee, the northernmost province of Palestine. This is where Jesus lays the foundation for his work of salvation. You might like to stay with this context of the passage – the humble beginnings (even in relationship with the rest of Palestine, Galilee is on the periphery) of what was to become a mighty work which has still not been completed.

The passage is in two sections: – verses 14 – 15: this first section is a summary of the preaching of Jesus; – verses 16 – 20: the call of the first disciples. The first section is short, but every word is precious. Stay with the context of “after John had been arrested,” remembering the enormous impact that the Baptist had made on the whole country, and gauging from that the traumatic effect of his arrest. Yet, what seemed to be the end of a movement was the beginning of something new.  Take “the kingdom of heaven” in a down-to-earth way, as an expression meaning the kind of society which would correspond to what God wants. “Is at hand” means that it is within our grasp.

This second section is a may seem artificial at a first reading, but it is the classical story of the moment of grace, sudden and yet totally natural in the sense that it seems to happen so easily, like a ripe fruit falls in our hand. The two calls are clearly meant to be similar – St Mark is telling us that this is how a call always works out.

Prayer Reflection

Lord, we thank you for the changes that have taken place in our world. They happened so suddenly and unexpectedly – yes it is always how moments of grace happen. Like when John the Baptist was arrested and it seemed that the movement of religious renewal in the country had been blocked, but that was the occasion for Jesus to go into Galilee and proclaim the Good News from God. So it was in those Eastern European countries and countries where violent regimes take control People just knew that a new era was at hand, they must change their ways of thinking and acting, and trust that something great and wonderful was in store for them, even if for a while there is suffering. Thank you, Lord.

“Some would consider our hopes utopian. It may be that these persons are not realistic enough, and that they have not perceived the dynamism of a world which desires to live more fraternally.”  …Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio

Lord, the role of the Church is to preach the good news of God to the world, and the good news is that the Kingdom of Heaven is within our reach, if only we repent and believe that it is possible. Lord, we pray for all the preachers of the gospel, especially those who give homilies at Sunday services. Teach them not to be abstract in their preaching, but to proclaim the Good News of God as Jesus did – as new possibilities which are at hand. They must of course preach repentance – but not as an imposition from outside; rather, as good news within ourselves, good news which we can trust.

“To destroy human power nothing more is required than to be indifferent to its threats and to prefer other goods to those which it promises. Nothing less, however, is required also.”  ...R.H. Tawney Lord, your Son Jesus knew how to break the power of evil. When John was arrested, he went into Galilee and preached the good news that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.

Lord, in the modern world we are accustomed to calculate things before coming to decisions. We have feasibility studies, computer printouts and charts. Eventually we think that personal relationships can be planned too, like choosing a marriage partner or a friend, picking those we want to work with us on a project. But we cannot plan those decisions. These things work by a kind of instinct, like Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee and seeing two fishermen casting a net in the lake and then saying to them, “Follow me” and they left their nets and followed him.

Lord, when we want to start some work, we like to start with the spectacular. Teach us the way of Jesus, that when the time for action comes we should go to the periphery of life and choose a few companions, letting the kingdom grow from there.

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Thomas O’Loughlin Liturgical Resources for the Year of Matthew www.columba.ie

Introduction to the Celebration During this coming year we are going to read our way through the gospel preached by St Mark. And today we hear about Jesus’s first actions in inaugurating the kingdom of God. He proclaimed the good news that we should repent and begin life afresh; and he gathered about him the first members of his new people. Here, now, today, we are gathering as that new people, gathering around him and listening to him in the Liturgy of the Word; and then with him we are going to offer thanks to our heavenly Father in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Homily Notes

1. There is a strange surprise in today’s gospel if we just look at it for a moment. Right at the start we hear Jesus’s great message: begin life afresh and believe in the good news that God loves us. This is exactly what we should expect: the story of a great prophet’s teaching should begin with his core message  Then, immediately after that, we are not given any further explanation of this teaching., but we are told abour how he recuited his first followers. We have all heard this so often that we forget that this is really strange, but it is.

2. For most people today, whenever they hear talk about Jesus, their first reaction is to say that he is a great religious leader, a prophet, or a teacher who said many wise things about how people should lead their lives. This is nothing new: many at the time of Jesus looked on him in just this way — a figure to be compared with Moses or Elijah or one of the prophets. To many in the first years of Christianity as it spread around the ancient world, it seemed as if Jesus was simply a Jewish equivalent of a Greek philosopher: a wise man offering advice on how to live life well. Similarly today, many compare Jesus with the Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, or some well-respected wise leader.

3. The basic idea in all these comparisons is that what we are seeking a wise teaching by which to live our lives. Alas, for people on this quest, very little of the gospel can be considered such ‘teaching’: indeed, this year, when we read Mark’s gospel, we find that 37% is taken up with the account of the final days in Jerusalem. It is all about Jesus’s life and death, not about how we should live our lives.

4. Anyone who looks on Jesus as just a wise teacher will be very surprised that what they think is a book of his teachings, a gospel, moves from his message directly to the comparatively ephemeral matter of his organisational arrangements.

5. But the fact that this way of looking at Jesus is in the air around us must prompt us to remind ourselves about a few matters that are often so taken for granted that they are forgotten.

6. Jesus is our teacher, but he also the One sent by the Father to build up the new community. This is why Mark moves immediately from the core teaching to the call of the first members of this new people.

7. Jesus not only teaches us the way to the Father, he unites us to himself within the church in order to present us to the Father.

8. To follow Jesus is to not only listen and agree with his message, but to be willing to work with others he has called to build the kingdom.

9. Mark preached his gospel to help us know who we are as a people — those who have chosen to become one with Jesus in baptism; he did not imagine that he was writing down wise religious sayings.

10. For the people of the gospel, to hear the call of Jesus to start life afresh is also to hear the call to follow him as his community.

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Sean Goan Let the Reader Understand www.columba.ie

Gospel Notes

With this gospel we have the beginning of the proclamation of the good news in Mark. Jesus is portrayed as discerning that the time is right for people to respond to the preaching of the kingdom. The essence of his message is simple: it is time to repent and believe. Behind the word to repent there is a much stronger meaning than simply ‘Be sorry and start again.’ Rather Jesus is looking for conversion, a change of mindset and attitude that will leave us open to God and allow us to trust that the news really is good. The radical response of the two sets of brothers shows something of what is intended, they leave their nets and they follow. The road they are taking will bring them to places they never imagined and will show them that following Jesus is a constant challenge to put themselves entirely into God’s hands.

Reflection

Both readings today warn us about the dangers of being self-obsessed. The parable of Jonah speaks very clearly of the dangers involved in imagining that we are better than everyone else. Such an attitude blinds us both to the goodness in others and the graciousness of our God whose mercy reaches out to all.

Paul is trying to get across to groups, who are trying to outdo each other in terms of their Christian virtue, that they don’t have to go making radical changes to their lifestyle in order to be faithful to the gospel.

It is much more important that in the ordinary details of their daily life and relationships they are guided by the love of Christ.

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Donal Neary SJ Gospel Reflections www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

The Ordinary

There’s something very ordinary for a fisherman about washing nets. Daily work, done with some drudgery but knowing that it is essential for a good catch of fish which would feed the family at this time Jesus called his first apostles.

There is something sacred about the ordinary. About bathing a child, loving a spouse, daily employment, family time and all that goes to make up our days.

In the middle of all this God can surprise us and call us into his service. Our expectation is sometimes different – that we need long times of prayer to find God, or read about him, or do big things for him.just as  the smallest things are done out of human love, God is found in the ordinary.

The old Irish spirituality had blessings for everything – for milking a cow, cleaning and dusting a room, visiting the sick and many more. there were prayers for meals, for a safe journey and a happy death. Our Irish spirituality found God as much in mountains and people as in the church, and often more so.

Maybe the disciples remember in difficult times the way they were called in their ordinary work, and found their ongoing call to follow the Lord in the ordinary of their lives for the rest of their lives.

Give me O Lord a love for the ordinary; remind me how ordinaryyou were for so much of your life. Amen.

[callowsermons]

Life Together-Scandal 2

I like things to stay predictable. I like it when my packages arrive on time. I like it when my internet speed stays at what AT&T promised they would deliver. I like it when folks on the road use their turn signal. And, in the words of Hannibal Smith, I love it when a plan comes together. Which is to say that I think I get where the synagogue ruler is coming from.

The synagogue ruler was a highly honored member of the community who devoted his time to teaching, study, and prayer. His responsibility was to manage the affairs of the synagogue and ensure right teaching. Being a synagogue ruler in first century Palestine would have been no small task. There were many groups vying for pupils, each with their own disparate readings of the Law. The Jewish nation felt constantly under threat, with the Romans looming over them. Not to mention the zealots who made murmurs about armed revolt. It was a tense time, and a synagogue ruler had to hold it all together.

So when I put myself in his shoes, I think I can see where he’s coming from. It’s a Saturday morning, and he gives his pulpit to a wandering prophet. This “Jesus of Nazareth” asks for Isaiah’s scroll, and begins reading from Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight fo the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” As I’ve mentioned before this was likely his stump speech, the core of his gospel. Jesus had the audacity to proclaim himself as the anointed one, the messiah, who has come to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Indeed, as he puts the scroll down he says, “today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Already, if I’m the ruler of the synagogue I’m on edge. Messiahs are a dime a dozen these days, and they are always up to no good. My friends may have vouched for this one, said he was special, said there was no one like him since the days of Malachi, but the minute he claims special authority I’m getting ready to boot him out. But then things get worse. 

A woman shows up who has been bound by Satan for eighteen years. She cannot stand up straight. She is unclean and doesn’t belong. But Jesus calls her forward and heals her, I guess as some object lesson for his sermon. I think I can understand why the synagogue ruler would be upset. She had waited eighteen years, what’s another day? Hasn’t this itinerant preacher read Moses? “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the sabbath.” Why, what does it mean to be a Jew if you don’t keep the Sabbath? How can we say we follow Moses if we don’t keep that day absolutely sacred by doing absolutely nothing?

Like I said, I think I get where the synagogue ruler is coming from. We all have that same impulse. We all need order in our lives, we all need predictability. And, frankly, we all want things done right. At least, as we’ve been told they’re right. If we don’t do things the right way, with predictability, what we are left with is arbitrariness, chaos. In the case of the synagogue ruler, he had grown up being told a certain interpretation of the Mosaic command to keep the Sabbath. Breaking that command opened a whole can of worms. If a woman bound by Satan could be healed on the sabbath, what else might be done? 

While I think I see where the synagogue ruler is coming from, the synagogue ruler is still wrong. I am, in the end, going to side with Jesus. But it’s important to see why he is wrong so we don’t just dismiss the synagogue ruler’s concerns out of hand. After all, the synagogue ruler may be expressing concerns we share, just in a different key. Jesus responds to the ruler by pointing out that no one thinks it’s wrong to untie their animals and lead them to water on the Sabbath, even though they would surely survive the day without water. And yet they do it. Why, then, should this daughter of Abraham, oppressed as she was, not be set free on the Sabbath of all days? The Sabbath that was given that we might be free to worship God?

What Jesus understands, and what the synagogue ruler misses, is that God is not as obsessed with rules as we are. What God cares about is mercy. Jesus fulfilled the mission of God by showing mercy to the woman on the Sabbath, while the synagogue ruler was trying to get in the way of God’s mission by making an idol of rules. Mercy is the reason for the Sabbath in the first place. The Sabbath is the rest of God from his labors, mercifully passed on to his people. 

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice” God says. (Hosea 6:6) It seems like a simple idea. It seems like an idea we could all get behind. Who is against mercy? That is to say, who is against compassion or forgiveness when there is opportunity to punish? But we live in a world that is so often bereft of mercy, don’t we? We live in a world that is much more tied to the law that kills than the spirit that gives life. (2 Cor. 3:6) We are so quick to say “they got what they deserved” or “they should have followed the rules.” But we are not quick to say “this is a daughter or son of Abraham” and to treat them accordingly. We, like the ruler, love the rules because they bring order and predictability. We, like the ruler, can hide behind the rules and forget to show mercy.

Though we so often fail, we too are called to mercy. We too are called to forgive those who don’t deserve it, because we know we first did not deserve God’s forgiveness. Where would we be if God insisted that we follow the rules before we received his mercy? Is it not the other way around? God gives us mercy that we may follow the rules. It is only by the cross of Christ that we may be made like Jesus. It is only through forgiveness that we may be made white as snow. 

So in imitation of Jesus we are called to love those who society tells us don’t deserve that love. We are called to be kind, and at a sacrifice. After all, Jesus’ offered kindness at a sacrifice as well. And this will be divisive like Jesus was divisive. Because sometimes communities just want to see people go. Sometimes we get that mob mentality, and just want to see retribution. But that’s not Jesus’ way. That’s not our calling. That’s not mercy. 

And that will be divisive. That can be hard. In fact, it can be sacrificial. But that’s the adventure to which Christ calls us. And Christ provides. So while I like things to be predictable, while I like things to be orderly, while I like things to be just right, I’ve also learned that I need to take seriously an old bit of wisdom the monks used to share to each other. They used to say “I fear Jesus passing me by.” I fear this person who comes to me for help or support, may be Christ in disguise. I fear that what I do not do for the least of these, for the hated and despised, I could have done for Jesus. And withholding mercy that could have been offered is the greatest sin. So I keep having to remind myself to be open to surprise, and be open for Christ to show up in all his guises. 

When we prize the rules over mercy, we might miss Christ. Never let your sense of orderliness, or propriety get in the way of doing good for others. The woman who enters the synagogue bound by an unclean Spirit knew what she did was scandalous. Jesus, in healing her, knew he was acting scandalously. But the mercy of God is scandalous. We gather here to praise God for his scandalous grace.

Questions for Reflection

What are your pet peeves?

What do you wish more people would do?

How have you shown mercy this week? How can you show mercy this coming week?

How has giving or receiving mercy surprised you