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| Image by Jay Huang |
"We pray for an end to antisemitism and Islamophobia and all xenophobia"
Part 2: Islamophobia
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A Greeting
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46:1)
A Reading
Harsh words are disliked by God, except when uttered by
someone who has genuinely been wronged. Whether you do
good openly or in secret, and whether or not you forgive
those who wrong you, remember that God is both forgiving
and supremely powerful... The believers are a band of
brothers and sisters. Let there be peace among them and
let them honour God with one voice.
(Qu'ran 4:148, 49:10)
Music
Please note: today's music is loud. It is sung in English, Arabic and Hebrew.
Meditative Verse
God is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
(Psalm 27:1)
A Prayer
Send your peace, O God, which is perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.
Send your peace, O God, that we may think, act,
and speak harmoniously.
Send your peace, O God, that we may be contented
and thankful for your bountiful gifts.
Send your peace, O God, that amidst our worldly strife
we may enjoy your bliss.
Send your peace, O God, that we may endure all,
tolerate all in the thought of your grace and mercy.
Send your peace, O God, that our lives may become a
divine vision, and in your light all darkness may vanish.
Send your peace, O God, our Father and Mother, that we
your children on earth may all unite in one family.
- adapted from Sufi Prayer for Peace,
found on worldhealingprayers.com
Verse for the Day
How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
(Psalm 133:1)
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| Image by Brian |
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“When I come into this space, I want to feel safe and loved and secure,” says the woman in the video at bottom, while sitting in a university campus prayer room. The Muslim ritual times of prayer during the day are spaces where she experiences a cleansing and purification in order to still be kind and patient. Taking that time may not be something that feels important when she is busy; being required to do it means it takes a priority. Worship spaces hold tremendous vulnerability: they are the places where people make themselves spiritually open to God and to each other. Therefore, the invasion of such space for the sake of violence can be devastating. In January, 2017, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City became a place of such violence when six worshippers were killed and nineteen injured in a shooting that took place while people were gathered for evening prayer. Mosques, synagogues and churches are the most-targeted places of hate-related violence against religious communities. From vandalism to massacre, violence against worship spaces makes clear that the attack is not just on individuals but on entire cultures, races and systems of belief. Such attacks are often described in terms of ‘phobias’: the root cause of the violence is fear of those who are not like us. ‘Fear’ is a word that is itself a part of faith tradition language. The Qu’ran and the bible are filled with references to the ‘fear of God’, which ranges in meaning from a deep reverence and awe for God’s power, to a peaceful reassurance that God will meet us in our own anxieties. In today’s meditative verse, the presence of God is even a shield against fear itself. How can we use this more reassuring sense of fear to transform and reclaim from violence the sacred aspect of gathering together? If we think of God’s creation as a sacred space, then it’s possible to imagine that anywhere can be made a sanctuary. Today’s song takes us into public space and suggests that any place where people are gathered together in a desire to show kindness and patience for each other, regardless of faith tradition or religion, is in fact a holy space. Through a corporate expression of longing for peaceful co-existence, they have engaged in something that feels like worship, especially as the song’s lyrics express this longing in faith terms. (You can read the lyrics here.) Fear of the ‘other’ lives in all of us to smaller and larger degrees. In your prayer today, consider the ‘phobias’ you may have. How can they be met by the ‘fear’ or ‘awe’ of God that heals and holds peace? How can you help to protect those whose worship spaces are at risk in your own community so that "one day" can become today?
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LC† Journey for Justice is a project of
Lutherans Connect / Lutheran Campus Ministry Toronto,
supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.
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