God,
Millions of Egyptians celebrated the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice; many also witnessed the sacrifice of others over religion.
In some places Egyptians battled either institutions or each other over control of the main public squares – and with it, the right to lead the holiday sermon.
In other places the sermon itself displayed opposition to certain elements of the Egyptian population.
Likely, for most, it was a simple day of remembrance and revelry.
Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son in your name, God, but you stopped him. Likewise, many Egyptians appear willing to sacrifice each other in your name.
For Abraham, you provided a substitute. Will there be a similar scapegoat in Egypt? If so, who?
God, save Egypt and her people from this fate. May no son of the Nile be placed upon the altar; may no son of the Nile place another human being there.
What then will redeem Egyptian politics, God? How do sacrifices end?
Perhaps the answer lies in keeping the concept but changing the recipient. Is it possible for Egyptians to place themselves on the altar?
Can you raise up leaders, God, who will self-sacrifice – not for their cause – but for the other? Can you provide those who will risk and ruin their own reputations by defending all semblance of righteousness in the cause of the other?
Find these men, God, and promote them. Honor them and make them examples. May their courage expose the self-service of all who care only for their limited understanding.
Keep Egypt in faith, God, the faith that you will preserve the good however much discipline and repentance you must engender along the way.
And in the end, may even self-sacrifice fade away as Egypt self-embraces, and then embraces all others.
May only the remembrance and revelry of distant sacrifices remain.
Amen.
Jayson Casper 