I have been thinking about penitential prayers. Prayers were an important matter for Luke. It so happens that one of the first recognized penitential prayer reported in the Hebrew Bible was uttered when Ezra confessed the sins of the people of Israel. They sinned by intermarriage. The problems with feeding of the widows and the appointment of the seven to wait on tables may also have been related to intermarriage.
Yesterday, the Israeli Supreme Court, in a ruling elevating security concerns above marriage, held that Palestinians can not live in Israel with their Israeli spouses. The court upheld the law that was enacted after a Palestinian, who had acquired Israeli citizenship, killed himself and 14 other people in a suicide bombing of a Haifa restaurant in 2002.
Today, the President of the United States announced his plans to place 5,000 National Guard troops along the border with Mexico in support of Border Patrol efforts to keep out illegal immigrants. In other news, the President announced his support of a constitutional amendment defining marriage. His wife suggested the proposed constitutional amendment should not be a Republican campaign issue.
Sometimes I think that the events of the Middle East influence American domestic policy decisions. I try to stay focused on the writings of Luke but sometimes my thoughts are distracted. This week however the distractions will be welcomed. My daughter graduates on Thursday from Temple University in Asian Studies and Japanese. The extended family will party all weekend starting on Thursday.
Copyrighted 2006
Religion
Christianity
Gospel of Luke
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