Our Lady who Brings Down Walls

This morning we went to a Melkite Mass at a convent in Bethlehem, the Monastere de L’Emmanuel. The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome. To get to the Mass we had to go through the pedestrian checkpoint, then back to the car check point but indicating to the armed soldiers we were turning right to the monastery before they got upset. The Mass, which was in Greek and Arabic was amazing…  one of the sisters ran around finding us books in English. We were invited to offer prayers of the faithful in English and generally we were made so welcome and the people were so grateful we came and were in solidarity with them. Afterwards the sisters gave us biscuits and cold water and a beautiful prayer card, the text of which follows…

Anne, Peter, Leona, Sr Christella, Maureen, Jim and Jan

The image on the prayer card is this icon which has been painted on the Wall... two the right it extends as a double layer of fences which are electrified 

Prayer to Our Lady who Brings Down Walls

Most Holy Mother of God

We pray to you as mother of the Church

Mother of all Christians who suffer.

We beg you,

through your ardent intercession

to bring down this wall

the walls of our hearts

and all the walls that generate
hatred, violence, fear and indifference

between people and between nations.

You who crushed the ancient serpent

by your fiat

gather and unite us

under your virginal cloak

protect us from all evil

and open forever in our lives

the gate of Hope.

Bring to birth in us

and in our world

the civilisation of Love

that sprang forth from

the Cross and Resurrection

of your Divine Son

our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

who lives and reigns forever.

Amen.

Tomorrow we go to the Galilee… We are not sure whether we will be able to do posts while there or not.