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)
We invite you to join us as we share new prayers each week for the vulnerable among us facing challenges, fears, and threats. We will name many of the harms unfolding around us and acknowledge what is being erased, lost, and threatened.
Please join us in prayer and share these prayers with your dioceses and parishes.
We are one church united in prayer, naming reality in the face of lies, creating space for grief in the face of denial, and freeing space in our souls for hope. We gather to be the body of Christ for one another—bearing one another’s burdens—and pointing the world to the cross and its redemptive power already at work through our witness (even when it may not feel like it).
These prayers are not a replacement for action; they offer grounding and space to discern what actions each of us feel compelled to take. We may feel called to meet with or contact our elected officials, participate in community organizing, provide services to those in our communities, or join in protests or acts of civil disobedience.
As a church, our advocacy continues, and we invite you to join us. The Episcopal Public Policy Network has weekly action alerts, resources, webinars, and trainings. Learn more here.
Prayers for the week of May 23
Prayer for Afghans in the United States
God of all protection and comfort, we pray for the nearly 12,000 Afghans in the United States whose temporary protected status is set to terminate July 14. Your Son, Jesus Christ, once a stranger himself, teaches us to welcome the stranger. We pray for Afghans in the United States who face the loss of legal status and the threat of deportation. O God, be with all vulnerable people. Amen.
Prayer for Asylum Seekers
Listening God, you hear the cries of the vulnerable. We pray for the many migrants who struggle for their asylum claims to be heard and those whose claims for asylum protection are denied. God, pour out your Spirit upon them, and fill their hearts with comfort and hope. Empower all of us to make just decisions and to be good advocates so that our hospitality of migrants might honor you. And all for your name’s sake. Amen.
Prayer for Volunteer Programs
God of humility, we lament the budget cuts to some federally funded service programs meant to promote a culture of peace, friendship, civic engagement, and service. We especially lift up AmeriCorps, which has been on the frontlines of disaster relief, the opioid crisis, and academic achievement for Americans, among many other things. Be with the 32,000 AmeriCorps volunteers who have had to stop their work and help them as they continue to build community and seek new ways to serve. We also give thanks for those in our church who are called to serve in the Episcopal Service Corps, the Young Adult Service Corps, and Episcopal Volunteers in Mission. Amen.
Prayer for Pope Leo XIV
God of all people, we give you thanks for Pope Leo XIV, who in his first days as pontiff has called for peace and unity. We echo this call and join him in lifting up the vulnerable in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, and elsewhere. We celebrate this moment with all our Catholic siblings around the globe. Pour out your Spirit, O God, upon Pope Leo XIV as he answers your call to be a light in the darkness, a shepherd to your flock, and a leader of moral courage and spiritual vitality. We ask this in your Son’s name, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer for those imprisoned for the sake of conscience
God of freedom, we pray for all those who are imprisoned for the sake of conscience. Your Apostle Paul was imprisoned in your name, and you charged your angels with protecting him. Comfort and protect those who are imprisoned for their just speech and actions. We ask your Spirit to guide us in shaping societies where human rights and a free press are unencumbered by injustice, and all for your glory and the protection of everyone’s rights. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
