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Lectionary
PALM SUNDAY & HOLY WEEK: 16 – 22 MARCH 2008
THEME:
VIOLENCE OF THE CROSS. ALL VIOLENCE IS VANQUISHED BY THE CROSS
OF CHRIST
READING: Isaiah 53: 1-12
“But you, O God,
do see trouble and grieve; you consider it to take it in hand.
And the victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of
the fatherless.” (Psalms 10:14).
Since humanity fell
from God’s grace, life has been a succession of trials,
scourges, diseases, and especially violence that is often
caused by the competition to make money, to entrench one’s
doctrine, religion. Most of the time, this happens without
caring for the daily lives and caring even less the future of
the people who are suffering, who are thrown in all
directions, deported, enslaved, killed and often faced with
indifference from the international community. So what does
God do? Will God accept a situation whereby human beings
created in God’s image are also seriously afflicted and
repulsed in every way possible? Jesus, the Son of God, was
also a victim of that violence from men and yet on the cross
he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Today, the cries of the children of
God and all the misery and hatred that is covering the whole
continent should reach Jesus. “For we do not struggle against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of darkness of this age, against the
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
(Ephesians 6:12). From the violence on the cross came love
that heals, that saves…
Submitted by a group from
Kabyle-Algerians led by: Abdenour Ait Abdelmalek
PRAYER
Eternal God, in your tender love towards
the human race you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to
take our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Grant that
we may follow the example of his great humility and share in
the glory of his resurrection, through the same Jesus Christ
our Lord.
PRAY FOR: Tunisia (National Day – March 20)
Namibia (National Day – March 21)
READINGS FOR THE
WEEK
Isaiah 52: 13 – 15; John 12: 1‐11; Isaiah 53: 1 – 12;
Psalm 31: 9 – 16; Hebrews 9: 11 – 15; (Good Friday: ‐ Exodus
12: 1 ‐8; Hebrews 10: 11 – 25; John 19: 17 – 30)
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