Remember Christians living under fear of persecution and attack

Margaret Rodgers Anglican Media Sydney
8 Jan 06 Comments.doc
Remember Christians living under fear of persecution and attack
Christmas and New Year are times of peace and joy. Or at least that ought to be the case as people everywhere follow the great themes, the hopes that come out of the Biblical story of the birth of the Christ Child, including these of "Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all people".
Yet over this holiday season we have read stories that demonstrate that in many places there was no peace; there was, in fact, persecution. In Sri Lanka, on Christmas Day, a mob of about 30 people accosted members of one Christian Church in west central Sri Lanka. They threatened the pastor and warned the congregation not to attend the service. They also promised another attack on New Year's Eve. Many worshippers fled in fear. Those who stayed were beaten up.
In Central Sulawesi in Indonesia, a blast from a home-made bomb, that was full of nails, rocked a crowded Christian market, killing six people and wounding about 45 others. An unexploded bomb was found in another market some kilometres from Jakarta.
In Egypt 23 Sudanese, many of them Christians, were killed when Egyptian police stormed their squatter camp in Cairo. Apparently the police acted with extreme brutality.
We Australians are used to living in a society that is free from such violence and persecution. Let us remember that in other places Christians are persecuted for their faith in their Lord and Saviour. Pray for Christians whose belief in Jesus as Lord and Saviour makes them vulnerable to attack and persecution.