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Lectionary
SEVENTH WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS: 9 - 15 NOVEMBER, 2008
THEME: THE SABBATH YEAR-DEBT RELIEF
READING:
DEUTERONOMY 15: 1-6
Our focus this week is on debt
relief and how Africa can manage the flow of foreign aid in
order to revive the struggling economies.
There is no
better way to do that than to hear the complaint of the
Prophet Habakkuk concerning those who were powerful and who
were destroying the livelihoods of good people. In today’s
language we can ask, ‘Why should Christians and other faithful
people in Africa suffer because of few greedy and powerful
individuals who take what rightfully belongs to their
countries and their people and use it for personal gain?’ Why
is God allowing Africa to lag behind just because those who
rule in Africa have an appetite for expensive cars that cost
so much and are manufactured overseas, while their own people
and companies are struggling to make ends meet? Why should our
leaders continue to live in luxury while the rest of the
population cannot afford even one meal a day? Can we really
convince the rest of the world to forgive and cancel our
economic debts while we, on the other hand, are investing the
monies in military budgets and in Swiss banks?
How do
we justify lobbying for debt relief while we are not
channelling the little resources we have to take care of the
poor and marginalized in our communities? Submitted by Dr.
James G. Dube
PRAYER
Free us, O God, from
injustice, and cause the rich nations of this world to
willingly forgive and write off debts owed to them by poorer
nations. May the world’s resources be adequately shared to
all. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
PRAY FOR:
Angola (National Day – Nov 11)
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Deuteronomy 15: 7 – 11;
Leviticus 19: 1 – 10; Deuteronomy 15: 12 ‐18; Nehemiah 8: 9 –
12; Matthew 18: 21 – 35; Luke 16: 1 – 9
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