Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of March 31, 2025
March 30th marks Eid al-Fitr for Muslims in Palestine and Israel. This three-day feast marks the end of Ramadan and is usually celebrated with joy, prayers, and festivities. In Palestine, many Palestinians will try to cross Israeli checkpoints to visit Al Aqsa Mosque and in Gaza, people are concluding the Holy Month of Ramadan with the fear of bombardment and death ever since Israel resumed its strikes.
God of Mercy, you are the One who opens paths where there are none. You are the One who hears the prayers of the oppressed. During this Eid Al-Fitr, be with our Muslim siblings who hunger for freedom as they break their fasts. Be with those who mourn when they should be rejoicing. We pray for the day that all people of the Holy Land may live in security and peace.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.
Last week, settlers entered the home of a Palestinian family in Tel Rumeida in Hebron and established a new settlement there. The family members went out for an Iftar meal – breaking the fast – and when they returned, they discovered that settlers had entered their home. The Israeli army prevented the Palestinian family from approaching the house.
Holy God, we continue to witness settler attacks, we lament the disobedience to your clear commands: “You shall not covet, you shall not steal, you shall not murder.” We pray for the family whose home was stolen and all who suffer ongoing dispossession. Instill in all hearts to respect the sanctity of life and to treat others with mutual respect and dignity.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Last week, in Masafer Yatta, Israeli settlers with the help of soldiers brutally attacked Hamdan Ballal, the Oscar-winning Palestinian director of the documentary “No Other Land.” Soldiers then kidnapped him into a military vehicle. After spending 24 hours blindfolded and beaten in a military base, he was then released the following day.
God of the oppressed, hold close Hamdan Ballal and protect him and his family as he nonviolently labors for truth and justice. We pray also for Masafer Yatta, the land and its people. Holy Spirit, continue to give them healing and strengthen their sumud against the machinery of occupation. Embolden us to speak when the powerful refuse and to be steadfast allies in the struggle for liberation.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Last week, Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip killed Hossam Shabat, a beloved journalist who tirelessly documented the horrors in Northern Gaza for 18 months. After his death, his colleagues shared his final message: “If you’re reading this, it means I have been killed—most likely targeted—by the Israeli occupation forces. When this all began, I was only 21 years old—a college student with dreams like anyone else. […] By God, I fulfilled my duty as a journalist. […] I ask you now: do not stop speaking about Gaza. Do not let the world look away. Keep fighting, keep telling our stories—until Palestine is free.”
God of truth, we lift up Hossam Shabat, who gave his life at 23 years old to bear witness and serve his people. We grieve the brutality that took him and the relentless violence that has turned Gaza into a graveyard of people and dreams. Bring healing to his family and grant strength to those who remain. Holy Spirit, in our grief, help us be faithful to Hossam’s call until our voices shake the very foundations of power.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
During this Lent season, Friends of Sabeel Australia, along with the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network in Australia and other partners, is continuing their series of forums discussing Palestinian Christianity. The next one, convening under the topic “Who Owns the Holy Land,” is on 3rd April at St. Paul’s Anglican Church. The panel will bring together Muslim, Jewish, and Christian voices to share their visions for peace.
O God of justice, in this season of Lent, we remember that you are not bound by borders or claimed by empires. You dwell with the displaced, the oppressed, the seekers of liberation. We give thanks for Friends of Sabeel Australia and all people of faith who bear witness to this truth. May their work shine light in darkness and call the world to justice and peace.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
We join the World Council of Churches in their prayers for Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers