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 Wisdom in the Duties of Citizenship
God of our flourishing, who granted us freedom to seek the good of our neighbors, give us wisdom as people across this nation participate in the midterm elections. Help us to fulfill our civic responsibilities to register and vote, seek reliable information, resist propaganda, and listen with open hearts. Teach us to consider not only our own interests but the good of our neighbors and our common life, and to vote according to conscience, that the ballot box may be another place where we practice the love of Jesus. In baptism you have joined us to Christ and made us citizens of your kingdom. Help us to place allegiance to Christ and his teachings above any loyalty to party, nation, or earthly power. Make us faithful participants in civic life, seeking justice, truth, and the flourishing of all. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Those Losing Access to Medicaid
God of mercy, who draws near to all who suffer, we bring before you those who now face the loss of care on which their health and their lives may depend. As new Medicaid eligibility restrictions take effect, we pray especially for refugees, survivors of human trafficking, those living with disabilities and chronic illness, parents seeking care for their children, and families wondering how they will afford the medicine, treatment, and support they need. Strengthen caregivers carrying new burdens, and sustain health workers who must care for people with fewer resources and fewer places to turn. Give wisdom and compassion to those entrusted with making decisions about health and public resources, and keep us from losing sight of the humanity of people whose lives are most affected. Open our eyes to those who are overlooked, and make us faithful instruments of your mercy. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who had compassion for the suffering and brought healing to the sick. Amen.
For Children Growing Up with AI
God of wisdom, who calls us into relationship with you and with one another, as AI becomes an increasingly familiar companion in children’s lives, we fear that existing protections may not adequately protect them when they turn to AI in moments of loneliness, distress, and vulnerability. Guard our children as they learn to navigate a new reality increasingly shaped by digital interactions. Give families and educators wisdom to set healthy boundaries, encourage honest conversation, and nurture human interactions which allow children to flourish. Amid the competition to develop ever more powerful technologies, grant leaders and developers humility and vigilance to choose cooperation over the race to be first, and to work together in building safeguards worthy of the young people who depend upon them. Give wisdom and courage to those who shape public policy, that they may establish appropriate standards and accountability for those who develop these technologies. Teach us to embrace what is useful in new technology without surrendering what is irreplaceably human. Through Jesus Christ, who welcomed children and called them to himself. Amen.
