Today is Friday, called Yawm al-Jumu’ah in Arabic. This is a day when Muslims gather for congregational worship and recite Jumu’ah, a prayer that is commanded by God in the Qur’an. Today is Christmas, when Christians gather in joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus. Today is the eve of the seventh day, when Jews gather to remember the Sabbath.

This year, almost everywhere on Earth, none of us can safely gather together. There is great sadness because we have lost so many lives, because we are forced to attend our religious services online and struggle to fulfill our religious rituals in solitude. Families and friends are unable to hug each other, travel to visit elderly relatives, sit around the dinner table or gather in worship.

And there is also great sadness that the daughters and sons of Abraham still have not made peace with each other. So, this is my prayer for all the children of Hagar, Sarah and Abraham.

God of our father, Ibrahim, 
Look down with favor upon your children 
who are one family, but are at war. 

God, our Heavenly Father, 
Who calls us to love and compassion, 
Strengthen our commitment to follow your call. 

God of our father Abraham,
Sisters and brothers are at war with each other. 
Show us the way to make peace in the land. 

Hagar and Sarah, our Mothers, 
Help us to extend and ask forgiveness. 
So all your descendants may live in peace. 

©Martha Hurwitz, 12/25/20