Tradition sets aside the second Sunday of Advent, to light the Peace or Bethlehem Candle.  

However,  there is little peace in the land we call Holy, this Advent. For a second year, there will be no traditional Christmas tree in Bethlehem’s Manger Square. It is difficult to celebrate when only a short distance away, relatives in Gaza experience the brutality of ongoing assault.

45,000 Palestinians  are known to have died, yet do  not account for thousands of others, buried under Gaza’s rubble. Ninety percent  of Gaza’s population  has been displaced, multiple times. Hunger is rampant, children are starving, and medical care is almost non-existent.  Several  hoped for  cease fire and hostage release deals  have became lost  opportunities. Last week, Amnesty International, following  months of investigation, concluded that Israel is committing genocide, in response to the Hamas invasion of last year, that left 1200 people in Israel  dead and more than two hundred taken as hostages.

Meanwhile, in the year since the Gaza war began, the area around Bethlehem in the West Bank, separated from Gaza by the width of Israel, has experienced settler violence. With settlers armed by Israel, fear grows in Bethlehem. Fear of settler attacks . . . Fear of bombs dropping . . . Fears they will be the next target of Israel’s war.    Traveling through the area has become even more difficult. Economic hardship exists throughout the West Bank, with communities isolated from each other. New barriers and rules made it difficult for farmers to reach their land and harvest crops. Loss of the harvest has added to the economic despair in Bethlehem. 

So, the trauma continues in the land of Jesus’ birth, with little hope for an ending. Yet, God is a God of peace, hope and justice. One day, the trauma of this time, will be in the past and the realized promise of peace will fill the land.

Centuries ago, Isaiah wrote words of promise, of a day when God’s dream for the world will be fulfilled.

“They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4

May God hasten the day, when this is so.

Prayer: Holy One, We pray for peace in the Holy Land.  Amidst  the terrors of war, break through obstacles to peace.  Pour out your healing upon us, strengthen our resolve to work with you, to pursue both peace and compassionate justice in our world. Amen.

Additional Advent Devotions can be found here:   Advent and Christmastide Devotions