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Day to day happenings at the Prayer Vigil
March 24, 2009
On a sunny and windy morning, members of The First Narayever Congregation of Toronto, various individuals, and many associated with The Presbyterian Church in Canada gathered to pray. As the morning progressed, we were joined by Rev. William C. MacLellan, Moderator of the Presbytery of East Toronto and Rev. Cheol Soon Park, Moderator of the 134th General Assembly, The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Christine Elliott, MPP for Whitby-Oshawa, visited the Vigil tent, chatted with participants, and thanked us for our presence at Queen's Park.
At noon, Rabbi Ed Elkin of The First Narayever Congregation led us in meditation and reflection on calls from his tradition to treat the poor with justice. He explained to us the notion of the Year of Jubilee (Lev.25:8ff), when every 50 years the community was obligated to return land to its original owners so that no one became too poor. He shared from the Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 63a where it is written, "He who lends money is greater than he who performs charity, and he who throws money into a common purse is greater than all." And, he presented the first two of Maimonides' Eight Levels of Tzedakah: 1. The highest degree of all is one who supports another reduced to poverty by providing a loan, or entering into a partnership, or finding work for him; so that the poor person can become self-sufficient; 2. Below this is giving to another so that the donor does not know the recipient, and the recipient does not know the donor. Rabbi Elkin ended by naming the MPPs on the prayer list for the day and called on them to make budget decisions based on doing justice to the most vulnerable living in Ontario. Participants than had a chance to respond and offer their own insights.
Throughout a blustery afternoon, the 905-Area Faith Community Leaders - Peel held vigil and prayer for the poor and our MPPs.
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