Sabeel Wave of Prayer – Week of March 23, 2026
The violence in the region continues to escalate. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and thousands killed across Iran, Lebanon, Palestine/Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and many countries throughout the Gulf.
Liberator Christ, who walked alongside the marginalized of your time, we ask you to open our hearts and minds to bear witness to all who are suffering in our region. Do not let us normalize mass death and destruction, but rather call us to be peacemakers. We pray for your justice and peace to reign everywhere there is injustice.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers
Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman who was among several activists unlawfully targeted by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) has finally been released after a year in ICE custody. She and her lawyers had repeatedly raised alarm about filthy and dangerous conditions inside the detention center. Kordia was the last person still in immigration detention after the Trump administration’s 2025 crackdown on pro-Palestine protesters on college campuses. She was detained around the same time as fellow protesters Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi.
Holy God, we give thanks for the release of Leqaa and pray for her recovery and healing. We pray for the many detainees suffering in ICE custody, that they may be delivered from their imprisonment. We also lift up the many Palestinian prisoners suffering in colonial prisons. Lord, help us continue fighting the good fight and bearing witness to your love by working for the freedom of all.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Last week, the United Nations warned that children in Palestine are facing a mounting mental health emergency amid escalating violence, displacement, and loss, with over one million children in Gaza now in urgent need of mental and psychosocial support. Children are haunted by constant exposure to airstrikes, drone surveillance, and the destruction of their homes. Additionally, the loss of family members, disrupted schooling, and loss of community contribute to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Reports also suggest that girls face increased risks of sexual and gender-based violence.
Lord God, we pray for the young and old affected by the brutality of colonial systems. While we cannot fathom the extent of the suffering in Gaza, we pray for your justice and healing that surpasses all human understanding, that the children and people of Gaza may be liberated from all hidden and unhidden wounds.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Holy Week for the Churches following the Western Calander begins on Palm Sunday, March 29 with Easter Sunday falling on 5th April 2026. Orthodox Easter will occur a week later. This Easter will likely see more restrictions on worship for many Palestinian Christians as checkpoints tighten and religious sites are closed due to the war. Friends of Sabeel North America has launched resources and events in time for Holy Week, including a study guide for the new Kairos Palestine document and an upcoming vigil against Lockheed Martin on Good Friday.
Prince of Peace, we recall how you were betrayed and mocked, and we remember your cry on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) This Holy Week, help us to identity with your suffering by standing with those suffering under systems of oppression and violence today. While we feel we are forever in Holy Saturday, help us hold onto the hope of your resurrection that we may not give into despair.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
During Eid Al-Fitr celebrations over the weekend, settlers invaded Palestinian towns and set fire to houses and cars throughout the occupier West Bank including near Jenin, Nablus, Salfit, Ramallah, and Hebron. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the West Bank since October 2023.
Good God, we grieve over the actions of the occupiers, who seem to “love evil more than good.” (Psalm 52:1) Liberate us from colonialism which inflicts dehumanization on both the colonizer and the colonized. Ensure the oppressed that you see them, are experiencing displacement with them, and are enduring violence alongside them. We pray for true accountability and justice for the people of the West Bank.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
We join the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the people of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers