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Lectionary
LENT 2: 17 – 23 FEBRUARY 2008
THEME: ‘RESPECT FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS.’
READING: Exodus 20: 13 – 17
Central
to the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, God’s concern is for the
welfare of God’s creation. Communities that affirm their faith
in God are particularly reminded to be fair in their dealings
with fellow human beings. In some documents within the
Pentateuch and Prophetic Literature, the ancient Israelites
are earnestly enjoined to ensure that their compatriots as
well as ‘foreigners’ and ‘sojourners’ among them are not
maltreated, since that would be a serious violation of God’s
will.
The New Testament documents bear ample
testimonies to Jesus’ own example of embracing the
marginalized and downtrodden in society, thereby affirming
their worth as individuals and groups. This is an example his
followers are expected to emulate. Unfortunately, we live in a
world where the worth of human beings as precious persons
created in God’s image, is not often appreciated, and where
their rights are constantly abused.
In Africa and many
other parts of our globe, people are subjected to various
forms of abuse such as unlawful arrests and imprisonment,
unlawful seizure of their hard-earned property, rape,
kidnapping and exploitative labour with woefully inadequate
wages that sink them into abject poverty. That is all the more
reason why the church in Africa must harness all her available
resources in order to help reverse this unfortunate trend.
Through her special prophetic ministry of advocacy for human
rights, God’s will shall be done on earth, as it is in heaven
(Matthew 6:10).
Submitted by: Very Rev. Prof John D K
Ekem
PRAYER
Your power, Lord Jesus, empowers
your people for fullness of life. Teach us that the right use
of our freedom is in the controlling of ourselves and in the
ordering of our society so as to encourage mutual respect.
Save us dear Lord, from pride that results in lawless
self-will and violation of the rights of others so that we can
freely and confidently enter into binding relationships with
others by which human life is shaped. For Jesus Christ’s sake,
Amen.
PRAY FOR:
The Republic of The Gambia
(National Day – February 17)
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
1 Kings 21; 2 Samuel 11‐12: 15; Leviticus 25: 23‐28 +
35‐43; Amos 5: 6‐ 15 +24; 8: 4‐10; James 5: 1‐6; Luke 3:
10‐14 | |
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