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 the Courage to Seek a World Free of Nuclear Weapons
God of peace, whose mercy is stronger than the violence of this world, we remember with sorrow the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the generations who have borne the wounds of nuclear war. We grieve that even now humanity continues to rely upon weapons capable of unimaginable destruction, placing hope in threats of mutual annihilation rather than in the hard work of peace. Preserve us from believing that lasting peace can be built upon fear. Grant wisdom, humility, and restraint to those entrusted with military and political authority, that they may resist escalation and seek every path that protects life. Strengthen diplomats, peacemakers, scientists, advocates, and all who labor faithfully for nuclear disarmament and the peaceful resolution of conflict. Shape us, your church, into builders of true peace whose lives bear witness to the hope of your coming kingdom, where swords are beaten into plowshares and nations learn war no more. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Prince of Peace, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
For Mercy Beyond Political Exploitation
God of mercy, who hears the cry of the stranger and gathers the outcast into your embrace, we grieve the lives lost at Ceuta and all the instances where migrants perish. We lament when political calculations dominate the response to human suffering, and that tragedies are too often used to inflame tensions, create fear, and deepen division. Comfort those who mourn, heal those who have been injured or traumatized, and protect migrants, refugees, and all who remain vulnerable to violence and exploitation. Grant wisdom, courage, compassion, and help to governments so they may uphold both the dignity of every human person and their responsibilities under the law. Turn the hearts of leaders away from exploiting suffering for power, and toward policies marked by truth, mercy, and the common good. Make your church a faithful neighbor to the displaced, bearing witness to your love with hospitality, justice, and hope. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who knew exile as a child and welcomed the stranger, and who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
For Uyghur Workers Hidden in Supply Chains
God of justice, whose law protects exploited workers and whose Word stands with the vulnerable, we pray for all victims of forced labor, including Uyghurs, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic Muslim peoples whose exploitation is hidden within global supply chains. We give thanks for every faithful effort to uncover forced labor, prevent its fruit from reaching our markets, and hold accountable those who profit from captivity. We pray that public authorities, business leaders, and all who govern trade may have the will, transparency, and resources to expose hidden labor, trace supply chains truthfully, and enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List with integrity, so that we may not stand by while our common life benefits from exploitation. Awaken the consciences of government officials and business leaders everywhere who enable, profit from, or participate in this practice. Teach us that our freedom is bound up with the freedom of others. Make us servants of your work of releasing the captives, O Lord. All this we ask through Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
