St. Thomas à Becket Foundation 
making a difference
 
 
 
13th July, 2008
Theme:     Love is All Conquering  
Thought:    “Bless those who oppose you.  Do not repay evil with evil.  Resist evil and conquer it
                        with good.”  St Paul
 
When people of the same country fight against each other, that is called a “civil war”
Between 1991 and 1995 one of the worst civil wars in history took place.  It was in Europe and was between people of the former country of Yugoslavia.  Whilst most civil wars are between two groups of people, this was mainly between three groups who fought each other:  the Serbs, the Croats and the Bosnian Muslims.
Each group reminded the others of events that took place hundreds of years earlier.The United Nations Organisation declared certain areas to be ”safe areas”  where no soldiers or civilians were to go into or come out from, and attempts were made to guard these “safe areas” which enclosed Bosnian Muslim groups.
July of 1995 saw the start of atrocities in the so-called “safe area” of the town of Srebrencia.
  It is estimated that the Serbs massacred about 8,000 people, mainly men and boys who had been taken away in lorries.  Mass graves were later dug up and it was clear that many had not only been murdered butg tortured, and their bodies mutilated.Politicians and army leaders had stirred up racial hatred and fears.
People thought of the historical events of centuries earlier as though they were taking place in their own time.  Evil things were done by each of the three sides during this civil war, which was based on what was called “ethnic cleansing” – towns and whole areas were “cleansed” of people of different racial backgrounds.  They were forcibly removed; many families were split up.  Rape, torture and murder were widespread.
 

Readings:  Romans 12:14-21; Matthew 25:  31-46; Luke 15: 11-32
Prayers:
Monday:
God our Father, it seems obvious to many that people of all races and people of all religions and none are brothers and sisters of one another.  We ask that justice and peace may grow in the hearts and minds of each individual that we may treat others in the same way as we wish to be treated.  We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Tuesday:
Rather than thinking over bad things that have happened in the past, may we grow in the freedom, the courage and the generosity to place past events in your hands.  Teach us how to break any cycle of ill feeling we may have by being generous and caring towards those who may have done us harm, resisting evil and conquering it with good.  Amen.
Wednesday:
Father when we are assailed by doubts or weighed down by uncertainties or ill feeling, release our hearts to journey towards you with hope.  Lord, grant us your love.
Thursday:
Love keeps no score of wrong, and does not gloat over evil:  help us to encourage each other, sharing our gifts.  Lord, grant us your love.

Friday:
I may have faith strong enough to move mountains, but if I have no love, I am nothing.  With this in mind we continually pray.  Lord, grant us your love.
 
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