Today Virginia wanted to wish Muslim friends around the world Eid Mubarak, a blessed Eid-ul-Fitr to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
Since most of my Muslim friends live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, unfortunately today there’s not much to celebrate there.
My heart is breaking for the loss of lives and devastation! As many readers know, I spent a considerable chunk of time in the Middle East working for an agency that supported programs in Palestine and Israel. That may have been years ago, but it seems like the cycle of violence hasn’t changed much.
Extremism. Bombings. Conflict. Injustice. Suffering.
Children and civilians paying a terrible price: death and loss amidst piles of rubble.
Set aside your strident politics, theology, and religion, this is about people: mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters, children – all beloved of God.
Both sides of this current conflict need people to shout out peace. Maybe the Middle East seems far away to friends in America and around the far corners of the globe, but we can shout peace as we get down on our knees and pray heartfelt cries for reconciliation, for love to shine in the darkness, for the construction of new bridges of understanding amidst the rubble of contentious conflict.
“We are all people with souls, sparks of the divine.” Henri Nouwen
Please pray that the love of God will enter Gaza and Israel somehow today, that sparks of the divine within people on both sides of the border will burst into flames of compassion for all. That the desire for peace will grow in the rubble of the battered hearts and lives in Israel and Palestine.
On this Eid-ul-Fitr I ask a special blessing for Muslim friends, Christian friends, and Jewish friends in Palestine and Israel: a blessing of peace, salaam and shalom.
May God raise up courageous voices shouting peace instead of war!
grace, peace & courageous prayers
Virginia
Roses in the Rubble 
Thank you!
Keep praying Rachel! ✨🙏✨
Praying for peace.
Don’t stop praying for peace (the kind that lasts!) 🕊✨🙏✨🕊
Praying for peace
Carol-Jo, keep praying for peace (the miraculous lasting kind!) 🕊✨🙏✨🕊
Praying for peace and Covid to abate. As if covid is not enough to wipe the world, there is unrest in Myanmar, Palestine etc. Lives are lost, senselessly. It is not tongue in cheek when I hear beauty pageant contestants say that they wish for world peace too. It rings true now. May peace prevail! Wishing all your Muslim friends, safety and peace during this troubling times.
Hey GH, don’t stop praying for peace! So much senseless violence in so many places (I’m also praying every day for Myanmar) that need huge shipments of peace & love & understanding – that we are all part of this human family called humanity! Wishing you peace & safety from new COVID variants in Singapore… 🕊✨💜✨🕊
Myanmar is in such a sad state now. Yes, indeed, I pray for resolve in that country. Thanks for praying for the world to have peace. May sound cheesy as in Sandra Bullock’s movie where she posed as a beauty contestant but these days, it is pertinent and real.
I totally agree with you, GH. World peace sounded cheesy in Miss Congeniality, but it’s something to pray (and work) for!! Hugs, GH.
Aah thanks for giving me the title of that movie….it eluded me till now…Miss Congeniality is such a fun watch😃Stay safe Virginia.
Hope you stay safe, too, GH!!