Muhammed Said/Anadolu Agency, via Getty Images
“As the Syrian troops of Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia, move to clear the last rebel-held enclave in northwestern Syria, some 900,000 civilian refugees — more than half of them children — have been pushed against the Turkish border in the freezing cold.” – The New York Times, 02/22/2020
“The military advance, which has forced the flight of some 900,000 people, is shaping up to be ‘the biggest humanitarian horror story of the 21st century,’ said Mark Lowcock, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator.” – The Wall Street Journal, 02/21/2020
Dear Friends,
As we journey into the Lenten season this year, please pray with me for the nearly one million men, women, and children who are suffering unspeakable horrors in the Idlib province of Syria.
Blessings,
Pastor Basile
“I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” – Matthew 25:36
A Prayer for the People of Syria
Almighty eternal God, source of all compassion,
the promise of your mercy and saving help fills our hearts with hope.
Hear the cries of the people of Syria;
bring healing to those suffering from the violence,
and comfort to those mourning the dead.
Empower and encourage Syria’s neighbors
in their care and welcome for refugees.
Convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms,
and strengthen the resolve of those committed to peace.
O God of hope and Father of mercy,
your Holy Spirit inspires us to look beyond ourselves and our own needs.
Inspire leaders to choose peace over violence
and to seek reconciliation with enemies.
Inspire the Church around the world with compassion for the people of Syria,
and fill us with hope for a future of peace built on justice for all.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace and Light of the World,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
– United States Conference of Catholic Bishops