Sabeel Wave of
Prayer 28.4.22
Last weekend
the Holy Saturday Service was celebrated across the Holy Land. Thousands of
Palestinian Christians and pilgrims celebrated the Holy Fire ceremony at the
Church of the Resurrection - Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, even though the
Israeli authorities had imposed new restrictions on attendance. The authorities
sought to limit participation to 1,000 worshippers, over a 90% decrease from
previous years. Palestinian Christians and Church leaders criticized this move
as an infringement of the right to freedom of worship. The local community
tried to fight their way across the barriers yet they were stopped by the
Israeli forces.
- Lord Jesus, you suffered
for us and have risen from the tomb. Alleluia! May Christian worshippers
continue to celebrate your resurrection in the Holy Land in the years to
come. Lord, in your mercy..
In the past
week more than two hundred people, mostly Palestinians, have been hurt in
clashes in and around the Al-Aqsa compound. Many Palestinians have been
outraged by the massive Israeli police deployment at the compound. They are
also angered by the repeated visits to the site by Jewish worshippers,
who are permitted to enter, but may not pray there.
- Merciful Father, we pray
for an end to the use of force by the Israeli police in and around the
Al-Aqsa compound and for the resulting injuries to staff and worshippers at
the mosque. We pray for a calming in the spike of violence and that the
Israeli authorities would act to maintain peace, rather than to provoke
violence. Lord, in your mercy…
On Saturday,
the 23rd of April the Israeli authorities announced the closure of the Erez
Crossing, after rockets were fired by a splinter group from Gaza into Israel.
The closure comes just before the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, which
will make it even harder for families in the enclave to survive. Israel carried
out air raids in different areas of Gaza twice last week, in response to rocket
attacks from Gaza.
- Lord, we pray for a
de-escalation in the tensions in Jerusalem, Gaza and the occupied
Palestinian territories. We pray for an end to the Israeli occupation and
for an end to the isolation and impoverishment of the enclave of Gaza.
Lord, in your mercy…
Thousands of
Israeli settlers marched to the evacuated settlement outpost of Homesh, near
Nablus on Tuesday, the 19th of April. They passed through several Palestinian
villages before marching from a location near Homesh, which was built on land
belonging to the Palestinian village of Burqa. Forty Palestinian protestors
from Burqa were injured in clashes with Israeli forces sent to protect the
settlers. The march took place despite the Israeli Supreme Court ruling stating
that the settlement of Homesh is illegal, as the land belongs to private owners
from Burqa.
- Lord, we pray for an end
to the provocative settler marches to the evacuated outpost of Homesh. We
also pray for an end to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the
occupied Palestinian territories, as these settlements are illegal under
international law. Lord, in your mercy…
Last week
the small Samaritan community of around eight hundred gathered at Mount
Gerizim, overlooking the West Bank city of Nablus to celebrate Passover. The
Samaritans trace their lineage back to the ancient Israelites who established
themselves in the northern kingdom of biblical Samaria.
- Lord Jesus, we remember
how graciously you spoke to the Samaritan woman and offered her living
water at Jacob’s Well, despite the enmity between Samaritans and Jews in
those days. Help us, Lord, to reach out to others of different faith
backgrounds with your love and grace. Lord, in your mercy..
Last week
members of the Jewish faith were commemorating Passover. Jewish families gathered
for Seder meals to remember the Israelites’ release from slavery in ancient
Egypt, eating lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs and drinking wine.
- Lord, we pray that Jews in
Israel will be able to celebrate their religious festivals peaceably and
that they may also respect the different faiths and holy sites of those
who share their land. Lord, in your mercy…
- We join with the World
Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia. Lord, in your mercy…
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