[father_elijah]

The captivity of the Church of the Holy Nativity is a sign to us. It should pull on our hearts and call us to our knees in prayer.

Now is the time for all of us to offer our hearts to Christ Jesus -- to be born within us in a fresh and powerful way.

There are communitites of Christians in Bethlehem who need our prayers -- the Franciscans, other Catholics, the Melkite Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, the Armenian Apostolic Christians, the Syrian Orthodox. There are also other Christian groups like the Episcopalians/Anglicans. They need our prayers. When on March 14th the Israeli weapons fire struck the statue of the Mother of God, we knew that the Holy Sites would be in danger. If the Church of the Holy Nativity is destroyed, it will be rebuilt.

Through the intercession of St. Francis and St. Clare and of all the saints on earth and in heaven, may peace come to Bethlehem and throughout the Holy Land.

[american colleen]

*Ping for you* - read post 118. We are all in this together.

[Salvation]

Through the intercession of St. Francis and St. Clare and of all the saints on earth and in heaven, may peace come to Bethlehem and throughout the Holy Land.

I think we all shout a resounding "Amen" to that prayer!