Senior Director of Advocacy & Government Relations and
Special Advisor to the Executive Director
I’m writing this after just returning from a week in Israel/Palestine–the land we call Holy. After more than two years of the Israeli military’s relentless bombardment of Gaza, there was a muted sense of relief. An acknowledgement that, for those in Gaza, the situation was marginally better, though many continued to be killed by Israeli attacks each day. In the West Bank, there is fear that the rise of settler violence will only worsen. In our conversations with Christians from around the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the constant refrain repeated no matter the meeting: “How can we convince our children to stay in a land where we cannot promise a safe or prosperous future?” Of course, it is not just Christian parents who fear for their children and what their future will hold. Throughout Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinian parents not only grieve the children they have lost but are left wondering what the future will be for the over 2 million Palestinian children who must continue to live under the conditions of a brutal military occupation.
In our Gospel reading for today, Mary and Joseph probably also wondered what would become of their soon to be born son. Born under scandalous circumstances for the times, would he be treated poorly? Looked down upon because Mary was with child before marrying Joseph? The angel tried to assure Mary and Joseph of the powerful role their son would play in fulfilling prophecy and saving the world. The magnitude of the situation probably took some time to set in. Regardless of how quickly Mary could absorb the message, the angel continued:
Emmanuel. God with us. In the midst of such profound suffering, it is not always easy to remember that God is with us. Later in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus will remind his disciples that he will be with them (also with you and me) “always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28.20). Yet God is with the children of Gaza, of Taybeh, of Umm al-khair, of Haifa, of Tel Aviv. And everywhere in between. God is with them and calls us to be with them, too. That is one reason Churches for Middle East Peace has joined with global partners to uplift the “Let Children Live” campaign and has committed to praying together as a staff and individually for a child in the West Bank or Gaza.
I hope you will join me in praying alongside Mira, the child whose name I received and have lifted up, and also consider signing up to pray for a child yourself. We give thanks for their life and pray their future will be one of flourishing. We trust God will be with them even when the world might forget to speak up and advocate on their behalf.
During this Advent season, as we await the birth of the one who came to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1.21) I hope you will consider joining me in praying for a child in the West Bank or Gaza. As we pray with our words, I’d also encourage you to join me in “praying with our feet” too. Use your voice to call upon your elected officials to support policies that will bring about a future in which all children in Israel/Palestine can not only grow into adulthood but truly flourish.
Dear God, as we walk through this Advent season we pray you will remind us that you are Immanuel–God with us–even on the days when we struggle to feel your presence. Renew in us a spirit of compassion, justice, and solidarity. Be with Mira and all of the children in the West Bank and Gaza. Help them to know you are with them, guiding their steps and moving us all toward a future in which all of God’s children can live in peace.
