At Common Grace, we are animated by a vision of the world where all people and the rest of creation flourish, as God intends.
As a staff team, we work with you to see this vision realised by pursuing justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, creation and climate, people seeking asylum and refugees, and in the area of domestic and family violence.
We recognise though, that for many across our movement, their call to pursue this same vision will see them respond to injustice in a host of areas. Right now, we know that many are feeling moved to address the tragedy and destruction unfolding in Gaza and Israel.
One way that they are doing this is through participating in Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage walks this Lent, as a prayer for peace and an act of solidarity. You can find out more details about walks happening around Australia here.
We believe that as followers of Jesus our call is to be guided by the supreme virtue of love, a love that we extend to all (Luke 10:27). This means Christians should pursue peace, reconciliation and restoration, and do so in a way that holds true to the value that all people, everywhere, are created in the image of God and as such have inherent dignity and worth.
This belief means, of course, we seek a world where Palestinians and Israelis experience peace marked by safety, freedom and justice, but we also condemn any steps to pursue these goals that fail to recognise the lives of neighbours and enemies as equal.
Hamas’s actions on October 7th, their ongoing captivity of civilian hostages, and their violent actions towards Israel must be condemned.
The Israeli states sustained occupation of the Palestinian territories, its repression and failure to recognise Palestinian rights, and most acutely, its ongoing war in Gaza that has killed more than 28,000, people, mostly women and children, displaced the vast majority of the population, destroyed crucial civilian infrastructure and precipitated a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, must too, be condemned.
It is for this reason Common Grace, supports the four core asks of the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage:
- Enduring and Sustained Ceasefire
- Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
- Release of all hostages – both the Israeli hostages held by Hamas – and the Palestinian hostages held in the Israeli prison system.
- End of occupation so a just-peace can begin.
We continue to pray for peace.
Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers continue to call on us to see the humanity of each and every person impacted in the dreadful violence and death in the Holy Land.
Though words can seem so inadequate, this prayer, written a few years ago by a Palestinian Muslim woman and Israeli Jewish woman paints a picture of the future we long and hope for. Lord, may it be so.
A prayer of mothers for life and peace - by Sheikha Ibtisam Maḥameed and Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum.
. . .
God of Life
Who heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds
May it be your will to hear the prayer of mothers
For you did not create us to kill each other
Nor to live in fear, anger or hatred in your world
But rather you have created us so we can grant permission to one another to sanctify
Your name of Life, your name of Peace in this world.
For these things I weep, my eye, my eye runs down with water
For our children crying at nights,
For parents holding their children with despair and darkness in their hearts
For a gate that is closing, and who will open it before the day has ended?
And with my tears and prayers which I pray
And with the tears of all women who deeply feel the pain of these difficult days
I raise my hands to you please God have mercy on us
Hear our voice that we shall not despair
That we shall see life in each other,
That we shall have mercy for each other,
That we shall have pity on each other,
That we shall hope for each other
And we shall write our lives in the book of Life
For your sake God of Life
Let us choose Life.
For you are Peace, your world is Peace and all that is yours is Peace,
And so shall be your will and let us say Amen.