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 Protection of Lebanese People
God of peace, whose Son said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God,” we pray for the protection of Lebanese people who are being killed, injured, and displaced by Israeli strikes. Be with those displaced and those who grieve the loss of loved ones and communities, and give your angels charge over those who face ongoing violence, displacement, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods. Bring a swift end to this violence, O God, and restrain all actions that endanger civilians. Grant hope to those who see only rubble where their homes and neighborhoods once stood. Make each of us peacemakers and move us to bear witness and raise awareness of the plight of Lebanese people. Grant this through your Son, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
For Those Who Are Detained or Missing
God of freedom, whose kingdom inaugurates the release of captives and new life for the downtrodden, we pray for everyone around the world who has been detained or gone missing. Comfort their families, granting them renewed fortitude and peace. Protect the detained and missing from bodily and mental harm, especially those held without clear cause or due process. Give captors and governing authorities the wisdom to set the innocent free. Strengthen all advocates and loved ones as they speak out on behalf of those in captivity. Come, Lord Jesus, and refashion our world into a place where captives are freed, the missing are found, and we all live together, bound by justice and love. We ask these things boldly, knowing your promises are trustworthy. Amen.
For Education in the Age of AI
God of wisdom, who grants us reason and discernment as we make crucial decisions, we pray for students and educators in the age of AI. We pray especially for all who are entrusted with the holy work of caring for the intellectual development of our young people amid rapid technological change. Grant our lawmakers and school administrators wisdom to put appropriate guardrails on AI in the classroom as we assess the risks and potential impacts this technology will have on learning environments. O God, your Son taught us to consider the lilies of the field, and you show us the beauty of this world in the ordinary. Grant that students with easy access to AI may still learn from the world around them, growing in wisdom through attention, patience, and lived experience. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
