If the Lord had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
When I thought, “My foot is slipping,”
your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul. (Psalm 94:17-19)
Join us each week as we share new prayers for the vulnerable among us facing challenges, fears, and threats. We will name many of the harms unfolding and acknowledge what is being erased, lost, and threatened.
These prayers are not a replacement for action; they are meant to offer space for grounding and discernment as we seek to bear one another’s burdens in the love and way of Christ.
Join by Zoom each Monday at 11:45 a.m. ET to hear the prayers aloud, in the context of a simple liturgy, prayed by members of the Community of Francis and Clare.
For Those Living in Continued Fear of Immigration Raids
God of justice and peace, whose heart is moved by the suffering of the vulnerable, we lift up all immigrants and undocumented people who live with the daily fear of arrest and detention. Uphold and protect those who feel unsafe in their homes, workplaces, and communities. Strengthen them with your comfort in this time of uncertainty. We pray also for all who serve in immigration enforcement, that they may honor the dignity of every person they encounter and act with fairness, restraint, and compassion. Bring an end, O Lord, to violence, unjust detention, and every violation of human dignity in this land and throughout the world, through the reconciling power of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
For Courage to Stand Against Antisemitism
God of loving-kindness, who calls us to guard our tongues from evil and our hearts from hatred, we lament the increase of antisemitic rhetoric in public and political discourse. Grant all people, everywhere, the courage to lament and speak truth when such sentiments arise in our midst. We acknowledge that such rhetoric can lead to grave injustice and violence. Make us a people who reject scapegoats and instead embrace the path of justice, community, solidarity, and peace. May this be our witness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the People of Gaza
God of unending love, who desires freedom, flourishing, and fairness for all, we lift before you the Palestinians who call Gaza home, those whose futures are being shaped by decisions beyond their reach, and those who have been taken or transported to other places in this time of uncertainty. Bring justice to that land and to its people. Grant them voice and agency as the course of their future and land hangs in the balance. Give us also the moral clarity to advocate for the rights of people everywhere to participate in determining how they are governed. We ask this all for the sake of your Son, our Lord, who himself lived and ministered amid the rubble of political turmoil in that same region. Amen.
