To begin the month of August (a month dedicated to the Blessed Mother and my birthday month) I received a present in the mail. It was t-shirt that I had ordered with the symbol Nun on the front – the Arabic symbol that stands for “Nazarene.” Members of the fundamentalist Islamic group ISIS have painted this symbol on the doors of Christians before they forced them to make a horrible choice – leave their home and everything they own behind, or die.
On August 6, the Feast of the Transfiguration, the leader of the Chaldean arm of the Catholic Church, Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako of Baghdad, has called for a day of prayer for these persecuted Christians.
All I can say is, I’m in.
I borrow the following meditation and prayer, composed by the Patriarch, from an article in the National Catholic Register:
“The feast of Transfiguration marks the moment when Jesus, on Mount Tabor, appears to three of his disciples in a state of glory, shortly before His ultimate trial on Calvary. This feast holds out a sign of hope for humanity: it is a source of courage when obstacles appear impossible to surmount; a sign that light is stronger than darkness; and testimony that death can turn into life.”
August 6 Prayer:
Lord,
The plight of our country
is deep, and the suffering of Christians
is severe and frightening.
Therefore, we ask you Lord
to spare our lives, and to grant us patience,
and courage to continue our witness of Christian values
with trust and hope.
Lord, peace is the foundation of life;
Grant us the peace and stability that will enable us
to live with each other without fear and anxiety,
and with dignity and joy.
Glory be to you forever.
I’m in, too!