Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, August 12, 2010
This week, Muslims from around the world will begin the month-long fasting period of Ramadan. Here in Jerusalem, Palestinian Muslims will be providing free meals for the poor and other visitors each night so that they may break the fast together under the stars by the Aqsa mosque. Traditionally, excessive closures and detentions have made this a difficult month for Palestinian Muslims, so we pray this year that the spirit of Ramadan will prevail and even Israel will respect this holy time.
Gaza's sole power station was shutdown on Saturday due to lack of fuel. On Sunday, Gaza's hospitals announced a state of emergency, citing dire consequences for patients if the power is not turned back on, in particular for those on life support and dialysis. On Monday morning, one of the station's generators was turned on with enough fuel to run for a day and a half. We hope the leaders in Gaza and the PA and in Israel can resolve this problem and we pray for those Gazans living in the dark.
This Saturday, young adults from Sabeel Nazareth will spend the day on Mt. Tabor, the traditional site of the transfiguration, and the surrounding area to reflect on the Gospel and its meaning for their lives today. May God guide them as they reflect and walk the land to strengthen their community and their faith.
In the past two weeks, over ninety Palestinian houses and structures have been demolished in the occupied territories and on Monday Israel's civil administration began razing housing units again in the northern Jordan valley. But through the will and faith of many Israeli, Palestinian, and international activists, some of these homes are being rebuilt in courageous acts of civil disobedience and we thank God for them and others who lovingly serve their neighbor.
This week we join in the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia
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