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| Wi'am: A Staff of Hope |
A Prayer for Bethlehem's Beloved
God of Light and Darkness and Holy Love,
whose majesty and wonder are known to all
in shooting stars and blinking eyes,
but not now, not ever
in the warrior's roar or the rocket's golden tail:
Protect the sons and daughters of Bethlehem tonight;
cast away every missile from their skies,
burn to ashes every piece of shrapnel and cruelty.
Make your face to shine upon their children
(upon their nieces, nephews, neighbors)
that the dreams of the very young might be sweet
with hope, with unknown delights, with ancient possibilities.
God of Mary's Courage and Elizabeth's Joy,
whose companionship is ours if we lay down every sword,
if we pray for our enemies, if we study war no more:
rise up in their flesh tonight, leap from the most holy
places in their hearts to make common cause,
to create new visions of song and dance
and healing and nonviolence and hope.
For Bethlehem's kin, I pray this deadly night:
for Zoughbi and Lucy, for Nasser and Abu George,
for Usama and Diala, for Imad and Tarek too.
Be their morningstar. Be their every breath.
Be their savior. Be their friend.
And when a new day dawns,
lift each one by your holy hand
to walk with you, to serve by you,
to know in you the love that
bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, and yes, endures all things.
All things. These things.
Even this night.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
13 June 2025
Bethlehem, Palestine
As war breaks out between Israel and Iran.
DGJ
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