Prayer of Repentance for Antisemitism in Canada

A solemn prayer of repentance asking God to forgive antisemitism in Canada, awaken the church to stand with Jewish people, and raise leaders who uphold truth, justice, and righteousness.

Transcript

[music] >> Father, as a Christian and a Canadian, I repent for the church in this nation and for our federal government for our part in the grievous sin of hatred toward the Jewish people. I repent for every expression of Jew hatred in our land, both hidden and overt, cultural and institutional, spoken and unspoken. As a Christian, I repent for replacement theology within the church in Canada. I repent for diminishing the everlasting covenants you made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, covenants you declared to be eternal. Forgive us for every voice that has spoken falsely from the pulpit, for every teaching that has twisted your word, for every narrative that has

fueled suspicion, hostility, or rejection of the Jewish people. Your word declares, "He who touches you touches the apple of his eye." Forgive us for treating your people as less than instead of honoring them as those you have chosen. I repent for the sin of indifference, for failing to confront Jew hatred, for remaining silent in the face of rising hostility, and for shrinking back in fear. Forgive us here in audio, our Lord, for the rabbi shears and the and and the cantor Green's family, Lord, that when they go through what they go through, that we don't even know it. Forgive us, Lord. Would you show us, give us strategy that we can be that we can let them know that

they're not alone. And Lord, would you forgive our silence when hatred has been spoken, for our passivity when lies have been spread? Forgive us for shrinking back in fear. We have turned away thinking this is not our concern. Open our eyes to see that hatred against the Jewish people is hatred against you. And in truth, hatred toward us as well. For we serve the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Give us courage to stand, to speak, and to love faithfully. You have said I sought for a man among them who would stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, but I found none. But today, in this room, we say, "Here we are, Lord. Here we are." Would you

teach us how to stand against Jew hatred and how to build true allyship? Give us a strategy, Lord. We declare that we will not forget. We will not be silent. We will not look away from hatred or injustice. We choose to align ourselves with your word, which says, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you." On behalf and on behalf of our federal government, we say, "Have mercy. Have mercy on us for cursing Israel. Have mercy on us for the unilateral policy of our Prime Minister, without parliamentary process, to recognize Palestine as a state. A policy that has has the effect of gaslighting the Canadian people in regards to the

false narratives about Israel. A policy that emboldens terrorists. Forgive us as a nation, Lord, for tolerating, excusing, and even enabling narratives and contributing that contribute to hatred, injustice, and violence. Forgive us, Lord, that when those things happen in our parliament, we remain silent. Help us, Lord. Show us how we can band together and that we can make a difference. Your word declares righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Lord, let righteousness rise again in Canada. Let every voice of deception that fuels hatred be silenced. And raise up leaders who will fear you, speak truth, and uphold justice. I I that Canada will

turn, that hearts of stone will become hearts of flesh. From Parliament to every province, let a spirit of repentance and truth fall upon this land. Expose and uproot anti-Semitism in all its forms. Let justice and truth prevail over hatred and lies. May Canada once again be a nation that blesses Israel and walks in your ways. Amen.