Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of April 14, 2025
Christians around the world celebrated Palm Sunday on April 13. In Palestine, many marked the occasion by wearing traditional clothing and carrying palm branches as they attended church services to begin Holy Week. This year, however, Palestinian Christians were once again denied worship permits by the Israeli military occupation authorities, preventing many from traveling to Jerusalem to participate in Palm Sunday celebrations. In Gaza, the Christian community observed Palm Sunday amid the devastation and ongoing horrors of war.
God of Resurrection, we, the living stones of this land, call out to you. Though few in number and burdened by sorrow, your people in Palestine remain steadfast, rooted in faith and resistance. In the face of occupation and despair, teach us to trust not in power, but in your justice. Though we dwell in the long silence of Holy Saturday, we proclaim the tomb is empty. Your resurrection is liberation, good news for the oppressed, a promise of new life amid ruins. Help us live that truth with courage until justice and peace rise from the land of your birth.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
On Thursday, April 3, 2025, Sabeel organized a Contemporary Stations of the Cross in the Old City of Jerusalem. This faith walk offered the community a unique spiritual experience, journeying along the path of suffering while reflecting on both the Passion of Jesus Christ and the present-day struggles of the people of this land.
Christ, our companion on the way, you walked the path of suffering with tenderness and courage, bearing not only the weight of the cross, but the burdens of a broken world. Whenever we retrace your steps through the stones of the Old City, we remember your presence in all who walk under the weight of injustice and military occupation, in all creation crying for healing. Strengthen all who carry their crosses today and may your resurrection continue to compel us to labor unceasingly for justice, dignity, and collective liberation.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Ahmad Manasra, a 23-year-old Palestinian from East Jerusalem, was released after nearly a decade in Israeli prisons. Arrested at age 13, he was convicted of attempted murder despite court findings that he did not participate in the stabbings he was accused of. While imprisoned, Ahmad developed severe mental health issues, including schizophrenia and depression, and spent nearly two years in solitary confinement, described by rights groups as torture. His case prompted a 2016 Israeli law change allowing children as young as 12 to be imprisoned.
God of the captives, you know the depths of our sorrow, for like us, you “were despised and rejected; one who knew suffering and was familiar with pain; people despised you and looked away and considered you worthless” (Isaiah 53:3) We lift up Ahmad Manasra, your beloved child, whose youth was stolen by walls and cells, and all Palestinian children who have endured the cruelty of this occupation. We grieve the violence of a system that cages children and strips them of their future. May your healing surround him now, restoring what was taken. Let his release stir us to action, to tear down every structure that dehumanizes, and to build a world where no child is ever imprisoned again.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Mike Huckabee was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Israel despite campaigns, protests, and calls to oppose his confirmation. He has frequently supported the illegal annexation of the West Bank, and in the past, he has denied the existence of the Palestinian people, saying there was “no such thing as a Palestinian.” His confirmation as ambassador to Israel is anticipated to bring further conflict and strife to the region.
God of truth and justice, we cry out as the powerful seek to promote division and hatred rather than work toward dignity for all. You, who know each of us by name, hear the pain of Palestinians whose identity and land are once again dismissed and threatened. We grieve an appointment that signals deepening violence rather than the peace you call us to. Yet you are the God who sees the oppressed. In a world that uplifts injustice, make us steadfast in sowing truth, compassion, and solidarity across all borders.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Israeli forces bombed al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, the largest remaining functioning hospital in northern Gaza. The al-Ahli Hospital was treating hundreds of patients when it was hit by at least two missiles. Since October 2023, Israel has targeted 36 hospitals and killed over 1,000 healthcare workers.
God of mercy, in the shadow of Holy Week, we mourn the bombing of al-Ahli Arab Hospital and all places of refuge turned into graves. We cry out for the patients whose lives were already hanging by a thread, for the doctors and nurses who stayed amid siege and starvation, and for all who ran toward the wounded, only to be wounded themselves. We remember this is not the first hospital bombed, nor the first lives taken, and we refuse to grow numb. God, hold Gaza in your mercy. Stir our hearts, strengthen our hands, and embolden us to act to end this evil.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
We join the World Council of Churches in their prayers for Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer