They say that a picture paints a thousand words.
Take, for instance, this picture of Yocheved Lifschitz, one of the Israeli hostages that were taken captive by Hamas. In a surprise move, she and Nurit Cooper were released after 16 days in captivity. As she was handed over to the International Red Cross at the Rafah crossing she turned and shook the hand of her Hamas captor and said, “Shalom”.
“Shalom” is used as both a greeting and farewell, and it has a deeper meaning than the English word "peace". It means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility.
This image inspires hope whilst the world waits in trepidation for news of Yocheved’s husband Oded and all the other hostages. We gaze on as we are numbed time and time again as images of death and destruction are dispatched from Gaza.
We long for Shalom.
In Gaza. In Israel. In all our lives.
Today a picture takes the place of words. May our prayer – as we look over our family and friends, our neighbours and our communities, our nation and our world – be the words of Number 6:24-26:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.
Neil Chappell
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