At the Beginning of Lent 2024

Stewart Gillan and Muriel Pearson

Woodcut image by Margaret Adams Parker

‘Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them
    and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up quickly.’ Isaiah 58: 6-8

The Scripture reading from Isaiah 58 marked the beginning of Lent here in the land called Holy and throughout the Christian church. As the ashes were marked on each forehead with the words ‘You are dust and to dust you will return’ in St George’s Cathedral Jerusalem our thoughts were in Rafah where displaced Palestinians braced for a new onslaught, and in Tel Aviv where loved ones wait for news of hostages.

There are other conflicts, of course, in Ukraine, Sudan, the Congo, Myanmar and elsewhere that weigh heavily on our hearts and minds. The war between Israel and Hamas has challenged our sense of ourselves as moral agents in the world, charged as our governments are in the UK, USA, Canada and Europe with complicity in the prosecution and prolongation of the war. At time of writing, the UK has taken no decision on the suspension of arms export licenses to Israel, for example, though it is said to be ‘on the table’ if the Rafah offensive goes ahead.

Because of Gaza’s demographics, 70% of the casualties have been women and children. The toll of death and injury – approaching 30,000 and 100,000 respectively – is unspeakable in its violation of the right to life, and the collapse of infrastructure and the means to meet basic life needs is almost total.

At the beginning of Lent, our journey with Christ through the valley of death to resurrection, we affirm the sanctity of human life, of each life and all lives equally. We join with millions calling in the UK for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and prisoners, the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid, and an end to this war.

The way to a just and secure peace will require negotiations between Israel and Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and the UK government has a role to play in supporting this.

Our partner, Christian Aid, along with other UK agencies, has published a letter calling for ceasefire and end of arms sales. You can find the template here: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/news/campaigns/middle-east-crisis-times-newspaper-action

With the help of wonderful woodcuts by Margaret Adam Parker Muriel has written some new prayers for a Stations of the Cross in time of War in Gaza. The prayers and woodcut illustrations can be found here: https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/…/prayers-for-peace…

Please join us in this season of Lent in prayer and action looking for peace with justice for all.

Grace and peace to you,

Rev Dr Stewart Gillan, Jerusalem

Rev Muriel Pearson, Tiberias

Lent 2024