Prayer of the Week

God is the shepherd of Israel and Palestine,
a people who want peace and fear war.

God is a child desperate for water,
and a family terrified for precious hostages.

God is in all souls. God waits on every path.

This week the valley of the shadow of death
is crowded with God's children,
and they have no comfort
but our prayers,
the prayers of the world,

for a table where enemies may sit down
to speak healing words,
receive an anointing of truce,
and shatter the cup of death
before more is poured out
on those who are innocent.

Goodness and mercy will follow us,
even in these days of fear and grieving,
until we build a house of reconciliation
and dwell in it together.

– Maren Tirabassi

NEXT:
In the Midst of the “Great Unraveling,”
a Visit to the Prayer Tree


Related Off-site Links:
Israel and Hamas: An Eye for an Eye Leaves Everyone Dead – Marianne Williamson (Transform, October 13, 2023).
I Wish Americans Could See the Humanity of Palestinians as They Do With Israelis – Sa’ed Atshan (TruthOut, October 13, 2023).
“A Textbook Case of Genocide”: Israeli Holocaust Scholar Raz Segal Decries Israel’s Assault on Gaza – Democracy Now! (October 16, 2023).
“Humanity Must Prevail” in Gaza, Says UN Official as Refugee Shelters Become Israeli Defense Force Targets – Julia Conley (Common Dreams, October 14, 2023).
The Outside World Must Walk Israel Back from the Abyss. It Cannot Be Part of the Choir of Incitement – Daniel Levy and Zaha Hassan (The Irish Times, October 14, 2023).
Gaza Is a Prison Under Siege. This Is My Letter to the World Outside – Ahmed Abu Artema (TruthOut, October 15, 2023).
As Gaza Turmoil Deepens, Some Leaders Dial Back Pro-Israel Rhetoric – But Won’t Call for Cease-Fire – Julia Conley (Common Dreams, October 15, 2023).
Hospitals in Gaza Face Collapse as Water, Power and Medicine Run Out – Najib Jobain, Samya Kullab and Joseph Krauss (AP News, October 16, 2023).
“Cease-Fire Now!”: Dozens Arrested at Jewish-Led White House Protest Against Israeli War on Gaza – Brett Wilkinsy (Common Dreams, October 16, 2023).

UPDATES: After Blast Kills Hundreds at Gaza Hospital, Hamas and Israel Trade Blame as Rage Spreads in Region – Najib Jobain, Samya Kullab, Ravi Nessman and Matthew Lee (AP News, October 17, 2023).
“Step Back from the Brink”: Ex-Israeli Peace Negotiator Daniel Levy Decries Israel’s Actions in Gaza – Democracy Now! (October 17, 2023).
Selective Empathy Is Not Empathetic at All – Belén Fernández (Al Jazeera via Common Dreams, October 17, 2023).
Biden Sides with Israel After Airstrikes Level Gazan Hospital, Killing Hundreds of Palestinians – Democracy Now! (October 18, 2023).
800+ Legal Scholars Say Israel May Be Perpetrating “Crime of Genocide” in Gaza – Jake Johnson (Common Dreams, October 18, 2023).
Palestinians Trapped in Gaza Find Nowhere Is Safe During Israel’s Relentless Bombing – AP News via MPR News (October 19, 2023).
Annexation, Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide: Mustafa Barghouti Decries Israel’s Deadly Campaign in Gaza – Democracy Now! (October 19, 2023).
Israeli Journalist Amira Hass: How Can the World Stand By and Witness Israel’s Slaughter in Gaza? – Democracy Now! (October 19, 2023).
Josh Paul, Former State Dept. Official, Explains Why He Resigned Over U.S. Arms Sent to Israel – Rachel Treisman (NPR News, October 19, 2023).
Ex-State Department Official Explains Resigning Over U.S. Response to Israel-Hamas War – Nick Schifrin (PBS Newshour, October 19, 2023).
“Divide and Rule”: How Israel Helped Start Hamas to Weaken Palestinian Hopes for Statehood – Democracy Now! (October 20, 2023).
How U.S. Media Legitimise Israel’s Barbarism Against the Palestinians – Gregory Shupak (Middle East Eye, October 20, 2023).
What Is a War Crime, and Who Gets Held Accountable? – Scott Neuman (NPR News, October 20, 2023).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• In the Midst of the “Great Unraveling,” a Visit to the Prayer Tree
• Something to Think About – October 12, 2023
• Eric Levitz: Quote of the Day – October 11, 2023
• Phyllis Bennis: “If We Are Serious About Ending This Spiraling Violence, We Need to Look at Root Causes”
• “Nothing About Today is ‘Unprovoked’”
• “The Mistreatment and Discrimination Against Palestinians Is Not Unprecedented. It’s Baked Into the Foundation of the Political System in Israel”
• Noura Erakat: Quote of the Day – May 15, 2018
• For Some Jews, Israel’s Treatment of Palestinians is Yet Another Jewish Tragedy
• Remembering the Six-Day War and Its Ongoing Aftermath
• David Norris: Quote of the Day – August 12, 2014