● The God who was, and is, and is to come, we the living stones the descendants of the Early Church, and the Saints are few in number in our land. Lord, the fate of your flock in Gaza is uncertain, yet they remain steadfast. Help us understand that the mission is the same, irrespective of our numbers and capabilities. Lord, let us not lean on our own understanding, but have faith that produces good fruit. Help us in these days struggle for our existence in our native land and purge any corruption in our churches, theologies, and institutions.    

El-Messiah Qam… Haqan Qam

● God of new creation, after you rose from the dead you were identified as a gardener. Help us steward your creation, uprooting the evil weeds and roots of oppression and planting trees and plants of love and justice. As we face dark days let us have active patience since, “if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:25). We hold on to our faith that the day will come when, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). 

El-Messiah Qam… Haqan Qam

● God of resurrection, although we are in despair and feel as though we are forever in Holy Saturday, the tomb is empty. We proclaim your victory over death, by continuing to resist against all odds and remembering your words “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:10). Your resurrection is good news to the oppressed since it is a proclamation of victory of sin and a liberation. Help us, O Lord to participate in your new creation by working for justice, liberation, and peace in Palestine. 

El-Messiah Qam… Haqan Qam

● Crucified Messiah, we behold how you were tortured, mocked, beaten, stripped, and killed on the cross. Your cry “My God my God why I have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46) is an exclamation we are saying for more than 75 years, and now more than ever. Lord, we thank you for identifying with us since “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 await the day of your return.  

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer

● God of Mary, we understand your cries over your Son through the cries of Palestinian mothers weeping over their martyred children. Lord, if we are the ones witnessing the Gaza crucifixion, let us be like Mary Magdelene, who did not let the pain and grief make her numb to the suffering of Christ. Lord, give us courage to witness with our actions and voices, and if we are the ones doing the crucifying, move us to repent and confess publicly.    

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer

● God of light, we know that oppression is grounded in deceit and Holy justice is centered on truth. Illuminate the wicked lies that systems, governments, ideologies, and theologies hold which result in so much suffering. Bless the journalists and advocates in Gaza who are exposing to the world the hidden and unhidden crimes which are being committed. Hosanna in the highest, to Christ who entered Jerusalem not on white stallion but on a donkey, save us from our unbelief, and deliver the oppressed from the modern-day Pharaohs and Pilates.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer       

This week’s Wave of Prayer is focused on Western Easter which will only contain liturgies focused on Easter which the Western Church celebrated last week. Moreover, these liturgies were used in the special Easter vigil held on the 30th March which held messages from Reverend Munther Isaac and prayers led by many of our partners: Bethlehem Bible College (BBC), Christ at the Checkpoint (CATC), Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), Freedom Road, Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages, Global Emersion, Kairos Palestine, Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME), Red Letter Christians (RLC), and Telos.

On the 26^th of March, Sabeel will be having the Contemporary Way of the Cross event in Jerusalem. This is part of a larger tradition at Sabeel where Palestinians and internationals walk together the 14 stations of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) and connect our suffering as Palestinian Christians with the suffering of Jesus through songs and prayers. Unfortunately, this year Palestinians from the West Bank will not be able to attend due to the restriction of movement. 

● Crucfied Messiah, we Palestinians interpret your journey to the cross with our own historical and contemporary experience. We interpret our own crucifixion with yours and proclaim that you have identified with us and care for our liberation. Lord, we pray that you continue to reveal to us the good news that Christ brings, and pray that we participate in sharing it by working for justice for all. 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer      

Last week, horrific scenes have come out of Al-Shifa hospital. Israeli military has sieged the hospital and killed at least 100 people, many parts of the medical compound has been destroyed, and people sheltering inside were ordered to leave, including hundreds of patients. Israel has claimed to have killed terrorists during their assault. However, Palestinian health authorities and international NGOs strongly denied claims by Israel that Hamas fighters are based in the hospital. It is still unclear how many patients and other civilians were killed in the raid.

● God of life, we come to you broken and afraid from hearing the news in Al-Shifa hospital. The events known to us are horrifying and the events we do not know haunt us. It seems that the empires today and the systems who oppress us “love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.” (Psalm 52:3). Lord, be with all the victims at Al-Shifa hospital and stop the madness of military operations in hospitals.  

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer

This week for the Western Church is Holy Week. This week is between Palm Sunday and Easter, observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. This year in Palestine, as we commemorate Holy Week, our thoughts will be with our people who are suffering so terribly. Sabeel will be having a devotional study for Holy Week which is inspired by the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage and the Sabeel Contemporary Way of the Cross.   

● Prince of Peace, we remember that you rode on a donkey not a white stallion, we remember you were betrayed by a kiss and denied by your followers, we remember that you lamented on the cross “My God my God why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Lord, help the world understand that the proclamation “Hosanna” is the cry of the oppressed to be delivered, the cry of Gaza amidst their suffering. Lord, it feels that we are forever in Holy Saturday, help us with your resurrection power not to be in despair.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer