Today marks the World Day of Prayer. WDP is something I have only taken part in once in my life, so I had to rely on looking at their online resources. This year, the service has been prepared by the women of Palestine and their suggestion is that everyone attending is given an olive leaf or a bookmark with these words: Put peace into each other’s hands and like a treasure hold it (Fred Kaan).
Interestingly, there is also a sung version of the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. This really excited me – perhaps I will find time in today’s schedule to attend a WDP service after all.
Why am I excited? Because one could not resist… I was volunteering at a local hospice and Nancy* who attended the day care unit was very buoyant. Her consultant had told her, the day before, that she would probably be on a treatment break in a month’s time and she might be well enough to fly to Canada. As an only child, Nancy had been especially close to her cousin, who was to be married in Canada in a month.
“Oh, I DO hope they say the original Lord’s Prayer,” Nancy said to me.
“What? In Aramaic?” I asked her.
The prayer of intercession set out for the WDP 2024 contains the following petitions:
• make us witnesses of peace and justice,
• encourage us to see situations through God’s eyes.
• that we are defended from violence of all kinds.
• for women denied education; for those abused in any way
• that churches are safe for women
• that we use our gifts to help others
• for refugees, in tough times and places that they find security
• for countries coping with a refugee influx
• for the homeless, especially those rendered homeless through war or disaster
• for aid workers
• for peace in Palestine
• for Jerusalem to become safe for Christians, Jews and Muslims
• for faithful following of Jesus, the Lord of Love
• for equal treatment for all, whatever religion they profess
• for all who share the Good News.
Can I suggest you pick out some of these items and pray your own words concerning the situations suggested by the Palestinian Christian women who created the service? They finish with the Lord’s Prayer…use your own mother tongue to slowly say the words, or learn another language! The YouTube video is the best Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic I could find.
Elaine Kinchin
*not her real name.
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