By Deacon Mary Delancey
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. (Psalm 103:6)
We know that God desires justice and is concerned for the vulnerable. The Psalms (333:5) and Proverbs (21:25) speak of justice. God sent His prophets to proclaim it. These passages from Micah and Isaiah may be the most familiar to you, but Jeremiah (21:12), Ezekiel (34:15-16), Amos (2:6-8), Zechariah (7:9) and Malachi (3:5) also spoke God's words of justice.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with you God
-Micah 6:8
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
- Isaiah 1:17
When Jesus opened the scroll of Isaiah and proclaimed the start of His ministry on earth (Luke 4:18) He announced the Good News to the spiritually poor and oppressed, which includes people in all economic conditions. Throughout the book of Luke, however, we see Jesus drawing near to economically poor and the marginalized in society, those left most vulnerable to oppression and injustice. Today, poverty and marginalization leaves billions of people without basic protection from the law, leaving them vulnerable to slavery and other forms of injustice. God has a plan for ending slavery and it is His Church: Until All Are Free.
Please join us in asking God to empower us to do His work to bring an end to modern-day slavery:
Holy Lord, we pray for the Christian community in the areas of the world where slavery is rampant. Bless the local Body of Christ with conviction, wisdom and courage so that they might intervene to stop this violence against the most vulnerable. We ask this is Jesus' Name. Amen.
