At this time of year the Holy Land is very much in people's minds, as we think about the first Christmas, and the events that happened in that place at that time.
But this year President Trump's recent announcement has put the Holy Land even more on people's radar, both through what he said, through what other countries have said in response, and through what the response has been from those living in the country.
I went to a Bethlehem Carol service yesterday - in Bristol, but hosted by the Amos Trust, and with guest speaker Sami Awad from the Holy Land Trust.
Some beautiful words, prayers and thoughts were said, of which I'd like to share a few.
First a prayer:
Leviticus 25:10 says 'You will declare this fiftieth year to be sacred and proclaim the liberation of all the country's inhabitants'
In this 50th year of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories we pray:
Gracious God, we long for a year of Jubilee for Palestine and Israel
When all the inhabitants of the Holy Land will know liberation and hope
That there will be a long-term peace
We long for a time when neighbours will no longer live in fear of one another
And difference will be celebrated
God of Justice we ask that equal rights will flourish
under just laws that protect all people
So that all who call the Holy Land home will be able to
celebrate their freedom and security alongside one another
We pray that the strength and vision of Palestinian and Israeli peace activists will be renewed
and that we will continue to stand with those who have so inspired us
We ask this in the name of the one who is able to lift us from the valley of despair
to the bright mountaintop of hope
And then a perspective on the response to the past week (and these are my words, based on what I heard, not a word for word transcription of what was said):
'To say 'what will happen after the declaration by President Trump', implies that everything going forwards is as a result of this declaration. It implies that things were OK before, and now they aren't.
The truth is things weren't OK before, and we mustn't forget that, or pretend that they were.
Rather than dwelling on 'what will happen now', let us continue the journey we were on - a journey of seeking non-violent means of resistance to violations of human rights, a journey of seeking justice, of standing up for human rights for all, and for moving towards unity and living alongside each other.
That journey has to come from a place of love for our fellow human beings who inhabit the land, not from a place of fear and suspicion.
So we have to build bridges, work together, get to know each other, understand each other, love each other.
And we can't do that alone. We can only do that when working with the Prince of Peace, the God of Love, the King of all - in us, alongside us, before us, behind us.
So let us all, wherever we are, speak that love, live out that love, come alongside the other in acts of love and kindness, without fear or suspicion.
And may we all pray, for the Holy Land, for all those who live and work there, that peace and justice, love and unity, may prevail; and that fear, suspicion, revenge and division may cease.
But this year President Trump's recent announcement has put the Holy Land even more on people's radar, both through what he said, through what other countries have said in response, and through what the response has been from those living in the country.
I went to a Bethlehem Carol service yesterday - in Bristol, but hosted by the Amos Trust, and with guest speaker Sami Awad from the Holy Land Trust.
Some beautiful words, prayers and thoughts were said, of which I'd like to share a few.
First a prayer:
Leviticus 25:10 says 'You will declare this fiftieth year to be sacred and proclaim the liberation of all the country's inhabitants'
In this 50th year of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories we pray:
Gracious God, we long for a year of Jubilee for Palestine and Israel
When all the inhabitants of the Holy Land will know liberation and hope
That there will be a long-term peace
We long for a time when neighbours will no longer live in fear of one another
And difference will be celebrated
God of Justice we ask that equal rights will flourish
under just laws that protect all people
So that all who call the Holy Land home will be able to
celebrate their freedom and security alongside one another
We pray that the strength and vision of Palestinian and Israeli peace activists will be renewed
and that we will continue to stand with those who have so inspired us
We ask this in the name of the one who is able to lift us from the valley of despair
to the bright mountaintop of hope
And then a perspective on the response to the past week (and these are my words, based on what I heard, not a word for word transcription of what was said):
'To say 'what will happen after the declaration by President Trump', implies that everything going forwards is as a result of this declaration. It implies that things were OK before, and now they aren't.
The truth is things weren't OK before, and we mustn't forget that, or pretend that they were.
Rather than dwelling on 'what will happen now', let us continue the journey we were on - a journey of seeking non-violent means of resistance to violations of human rights, a journey of seeking justice, of standing up for human rights for all, and for moving towards unity and living alongside each other.
That journey has to come from a place of love for our fellow human beings who inhabit the land, not from a place of fear and suspicion.
So we have to build bridges, work together, get to know each other, understand each other, love each other.
And we can't do that alone. We can only do that when working with the Prince of Peace, the God of Love, the King of all - in us, alongside us, before us, behind us.
So let us all, wherever we are, speak that love, live out that love, come alongside the other in acts of love and kindness, without fear or suspicion.
And may we all pray, for the Holy Land, for all those who live and work there, that peace and justice, love and unity, may prevail; and that fear, suspicion, revenge and division may cease.
PS - thanks to the Amos Trust for the photos!
