Friday 12 July

Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30; Psalm 37;
Matthew 10:16-23

Religious freedom

Only very occasionally do we reflect upon the gift of religious freedom, the ability to worship God, in freedom, according to our religious beliefs. The tragedy of 15 March 2019 in Christchurch has given us all pause. How many of our brothers and sisters – Jews, Christians and Muslims – all of whom descend from, and worship, the God of Abraham and Sarah do not enjoy this freedom and are persecuted for their beliefs. If we knew the story of just some of these brothers and sisters we would readily discover there is much to celebrate and much we have in common. Let us pray for that gift of wisdom and understanding today.