Statement on Hamas/Israel invasion

Just when we thought this old world had headaches enough, we are hearing that Israel and the militant Palestinian group, Hamas, are engaged in combat in Israel and the Gaza strip. Hundreds of people have been killed and hundreds are held hostage.

Hamas says its surprise incursion into Israel was made in defense of the Dome of the Rock, what Judaism calls the Temple Mount, where the prayers of Jews are considered offensive by many Muslims. This highly contested site has been a cause of many clashes over the years, and several wars.

Members of the Diocese of Rochester are on their way to visit holy sites in Egypt and Israel. They are safe in Paris and considering their options. I have been in touch with them and am assured that they will make decisions that ensure their safety.

Please pray tomorrow, and every day, for the peace of Jerusalem, for the dead and injured and those held hostage, for the safety of the residents of Israel and the Gaza Strip, for restraint on the part of all parties, for justice for all the residents of Palestine, and for the safety of our pilgrims. Surely this is not how God wants us to live together.

+Stephen T. Lane