20/03 • HOPE

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Israel launched a wave of over 100 airstrikes over the Gaza Strip, shattering the already fragile hope that a resolution to the brutal conflict in the Holy Land could be reached. Despite previous efforts to find common ground, the now broken ceasefire has brought a renewed sense of shock and disbelief, extinguishing the faint flickers of optimism that sanity could prevail.

 

Each day, new atrocities unfold in Gaza and the West Bank, compounding the suffering of those caught in the crossfire. As The Guardian starkly observed, “Horror is piling upon horror.” Yesterday marked one of the deadliest days since the early months of the conflict, with airstrikes killing more than 400 people, including 183 children and 94 women. The weight of such loss is immeasurable, leaving communities devastated and bereft.

Amidst these grim realities, this Sunday marks the Third Sunday of Lent in the Christian calendar - a time traditionally set aside for reflection, sacrifice, and a recommitment to following Christ. Jesus invites believers to “deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.” It is a call to pause, to find spiritual renewal, and to persist in the path of faith.

Yet, what do these scriptural promises mean to the grieving parents in Palestine who have just lost their children to the latest wave of violence? How do the assurances of a compassionate and present God resonate with those whose burdens have become unbearable?

World events often bring waves of hopelessness, and in this season of Lent, the need for hope is more profound than ever. It is a time not only to reflect and strengthen our desire to walk with Christ and be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ but also to lament - to express profound sorrow, pain, and confusion. In our lament, we cry out for God’s spirit to cleanse nations of fear and hatred and to fill hearts with compassion, peace, and a hunger for justice.

This week, may we kneel before God with sincerity and faith, lifting up all who suffer in this ongoing conflict. Let us pray from Proverbs 23:18:

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”

May we do all we can to protect, nurture and reignite the fragile flickers of hope that remain.