Bible Society participates in the International Day of Prayer for Peace

 

Beirut-LEBANON: On the evening of Wednesday, September 21, 2005, the World Council of Churches – Middle East Desk – under the direction of Dr. Michel Nseir, in collaboration with the Middle East Council of Churches, organized an ecumenical evening Prayer for Peace at Saint Georgios Cathedral in Downtown Beirut. Several bishops and clergy representing the rich diversity of the Middle Eastern Church participated in the program, including the Bible Society.

Bishop Elias Awde, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut, presided over the prayer, while several bishops, reverends, fathers and sisters participated in the worship. Amongst them were Rev. Dr. Salim Sahiouny, President of the Supreme Council of Evangelical Churches in Syria and Lebanon, and Honorary Chairman of the Bible Society, Bishops Salim Ghazal and Youssef Kallas from the Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church, Bishop Kegham Khatcherian representing the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, Bishop Michel Kasarji from the Armenian Catholic Church, and others representing the Coptic and Syrian Orthodox families – who all gave short meditations relevant to the event. Rev. Dr. Habib Bader shared the main message of the evening prayer.

 

Mr. Mike Bassous, General Secretary of the Bible Society, gave a short mediation on prayer for peace. Following are excerpts of the meditation:

 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6). This is the promise of God the Father to humanity – that Jesus Christ is a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, and he is the Prince of Peace. Let us seek today – the International Day of Prayer for Peace – to request from the Prince of Peace to grant us his peace. The Lord Christ said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn 14:27). Our prayer to God is that the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ will fill our hearts – so that our hearts will no longer be troubled and will not be afraid from this day forth. And we pray that this peace will spread to the troubled parts of the world, entering the hearts, the minds, the thoughts and the intentions of the heart, remembering the words of the apostle Paul: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Ph. 4:7).

 The event was covered by several Christian televisions and news media.