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 Diverse Representative Bodies that Reflect their Constituents
God of justice, whose son drew near to those left on the margins, we pray that representative bodies of all kinds will reflect the constituencies they represent. We are grieved by efforts to make voting burdensome or inaccessible for many voters, especially Black communities and other communities historically targeted for disenfranchisement. Keep voting sites free from intimidation, threats, and fear. Guard the public square from propaganda that spreads distrust and discourages people from casting their ballots. Strengthen the advocates who demand a voice for these communities. Grant all local, state, and national authorities the wisdom to ensure fair and safe elections throughout this country. May our nation, whose people are made in your image and reflect many cultures, be just and peaceable, and all for your glory. Grant this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
For Children Whose Schools Become Battlefields
God of peace, whose son declared that the kingdom of heaven belongs to little children, we lament the rise of violent attacks on schools around the world. We pray for the more than 10,000 students and teachers all over the worlds who have been killed, injured, abducted, or otherwise harmed in attacks on education and by military use of schools and universities in the last two years. We lift up to your special care the schools in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Palestine, and Ukraine where attacks have been most prevalent. Grant strength to all who work to keep schools safe places. Grant all people, especially those in power and those who are armed, the wisdom to uphold the rights of children in war and wherever violence reaches their schools. Hold all those who have targeted educational institutions accountable and bring justice and peace to schools everywhere so that every child can enjoy the gift of learning in peace. Grant this, oh God, through your son who lives and reigns with you in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
For Dreamers Living in Uncertainty
God of hope, whose promises guide us toward a future of radical inclusion and universal solidarity, we lift up those who came to the United States as children, Dreamers and all DACA recipients. We recognize DACA recipients call this country home and have no path to permanent status or citizenship. We lament the loss of jobs and work authorization for some, and the anxiety and confusion of those who wait months for updates from the federal government on status renewal. Help members of Congress to feel compassion for the vulnerable in this country. Empower systems of community care to come alongside and protect those living in uncertainty and those without work. We give you thanks for all DACA recipients and the many gifts they have given this country. Help us to continue to build communities of welcome, care, and mutual responsibility throughout the United States, through Jesus Christ, in the power of your transforming Holy Spirit, in whom we pray. Amen.
