A prayer for Gaza

O God our prayer today is more like an inarticulate cry and our hearts ache.

We saw a man in Gaza weeping beside his three little dead children - innocent beauty now bloodied in death

A massacre that started on the eve of Holy Innocents Day claims more and more women and children’s lives.

UN schools bombed,  where families had sought refuge.

The people of Gaza with nowhere to run.

They are imprisoned under a harsh seige, bombed by the most sophisticated new weapons and then attacked in their own streets and houses.

O God where can they find refuge. No one has listened to their suffering for over 60 years.

O God of the oppressed  and suffering we see you in the wounded of  Gaza - we hear your cries of pain - we share your tears. May we never be silent in the face of such pain.

O God may world leaders at last hear the cries of the children and the suffering of Gaza.

May the siege be removed. The gates be opened. May they be allowed to have food, water, medicine, human rights, dignity, justice, democracy.

O God hear the cry of Gaza.

May freedom come - may healing come - may hope come.

May they be treated as we would like to be treated.

And we pray for the people of Israel because there will be no peace for them until the occupation ends and the siege is over - no peace for them until justice comes to Palestine.

And we pray that peace will come soon and that each person will recognise the value of the other and Israel and Palestine become a Holy Land once more.

Amen.