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| https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netherlands-black-pete/black-pete-protests-planned-as-dutch-children-hail-st-nicholas-idUSKBN1XQ0CY PC: PETER DEJONG / AP |
Lord, we pray for peace and unity in the Netherlands as the
nation debates a beloved, yet racist, holiday tradition. To begin, we pray for
your peace and protection during today’s protests. May people on both sides of
the debate treat each other with dignity, respect and kindness, so they can
hear each other more effectively. Beyond this particular day, we pray about the
overall debate. We know how deeply traditions can be ingrained into our
cultures. We know this is not an easy thing for this nation. We pray for
everyone involved to be able to step back and evaluate the situation with
wisdom and objectivity. May people err on the side of love. Jesus, this holiday
is primarily about you—not St. Nicholas, nor “Black Pete.” May we all return to
that focus, and may “Black Pete” be recognized as a hurtful distraction from
the true meaning of Christmas. We pray that this intense debate would bring
about renewed commitment to you in the Netherlands. In your gracious yet mighty
name we pray, Lord Jesus, amen.
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