Saturday, December 10, 2011

O Little Town of Bethlehem


I thought young Joseph would be there welcoming
but it were young men with guns at checkpoints incoming
I thought young Mary would be there welcoming
But it were young women with guns at checkpoints incoming
I thought then it would be the manger that’s welcoming
but shockingly, it was the huge concrete wall of separation.
              a wall of division
              a wall of segregation
              a wall of occupation
              a wall of humiliation
              a wall of discrimination
Making the birth of Jesus’ place invisible.

O Jesus, come now to be born again here
              to break these walls of domination
              to tear down these walls of demonization
              to break open the cruel hearts of oppressions
              to restore liberation and peace on this earth
              and to bring glad tiding of joy to all these people
Come Jesus, and come now!

In hope I leave, only to return to see Joseph, Mary and 
baby Jesus - in all freedom - in this land.




(In response to the invitation of 'Come & See' given by Kairos Palestine, this prayer was penned as was exposed to the ground realities of walls at Bethlehem)







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