The chorus in Roy Acuff’s 1938 song “Wreck on the Highway” runs, “I didn’t hear nobody pray, dear brother. I didn’t hear nobody pray. I heard the crash and the highway but, I didn’t hear nobody pray.”
There is a need for a day of fasting and prayer on October 17th, as the Emergency Committee of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem has asked.
Can prayer make a real difference in this small area of land, no bigger than Vermont? It is possible to achieve peace in an area where Jews and Muslims have been struggling to live together in harmony ever since Christ.
Since 1948, when Israel was established following the end of the war in Palestine, the Holy Land has never been at peace.
It is likely that no one will take up the offer of becoming a hostage in exchange for Hamas’ hostages. Hamas is willing to trade them for Israeli prisoners but Israel is imposing a tight siege on Gaza.
Pizzaballa stated that it would be ideal if people were able to go to church and pray. Abstinence means not eating meat during the day.
The patriarchs want all people to pray to God no matter what type of sacrifice they choose. They hope this outpouring of love and sacrifice will soften everyone’s heart.
How can ordinary people stop the mentality of committing war crimes in order to punish those who have committed war crimes, which could lead to the destruction of a nation or even war around the globe?
The patriarchs have warned that the current crisis could lead to a human avalanche, which would result in death and destruction. Gaza, with its population of around 2 million, occupies an area about twice the size of Washington, D.C. The city had electricity for 4-8 hours per day prior to the Hamas attack. Israeli forces are now preparing to invade Gaza and destroy thousands of buildings, cutting off water, electricity, and food. Refugees have overtaken the churches.
Both civilians and infrastructure are caught in the crossfire of Israel’s war. The Geneva Convention prohibits attacks on civilians, and The Hague is now considering charges of war crime against Russia for knocking out electricity in Ukraine’s second-largest city. Hamas killed young people at a concert that shocked the world. If the war continues, the Hague will be dealing with similar massacres, and the death toll of civilians could exceed that of combatants.
Iran, the United States, and Hezbollah all seem ready to join in the fight. It is now the perfect time to use prayer as a tool for bringing peace.
