Prayers for France

Attacks and their aftermath, heatwaves, floods and storms, strikes and protest, and unsettled elections all appear in the prayers for France. Refugees and children at the Calais camp are remembered, along with justice for those harmed by people in trusted positions, and thanks is given for the climate agreement signed in Paris.

Forgive Us Our Poverty of Spirit: Prayers After the Killings in Japan, Germany, and France (July 28, 2016)

‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy’. ~ Ezekiel 16:49 You, creator God, are merciful and just; loving all that you created and seeing that your works are good. You draw all creation to you with […]

Teach Us to Listen: A Prayer After the Attack in Nice and a Week of Violence (July 14, 2016)

There is a terrifying passage in ‘I and Thou’ by the Jewish mystic Martin Buber in which God says ‘I have sunk my hearing in the deafness of mortals’. If this should be even partly true what a tremendous responsibility it places upon us to listen, to listen to each other with our whole attention, […]

Lord, Hear Our Prayer: For EgyptAir Flight MS804, Sri Lanka’s Landslides, and Venezuela’s Hunger (May 19, 2016)

Heavenly Father, we come to you with open but hurt hearts with this week’s news. May the Holy Spirit fill us with strength and compassion towards our neighbors, near and far. We pray for the millions of students who celebrate their graduations. May their learning enrich our world. Lord, hear our prayer. We pray for […]

Do Not Let Them Be Afraid: Prayers After a Philippines Beheading and the Death of Prince (April 28, 2016)

Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.’ God of comfort, God of peace, we are often fear-filled people. We regard our world through eyes clouded by tears of fear and frustration, making it difficult to […]

Free Me from the Shackles of My Privilege: A Prayer from Somalia to Haiti (March 11, 2016)

Alpha and Omega God, I realize again and again that I am a person of privilege. I am confronted with the fact that I have so much, so many opportunities. I am convicted by my daily “concerns;” which restaurant will I go to for dinner, will my latest on-line shopping purchases be delivered on […]

Prayers of Contrast: Bombings in Istanbul and Jakarta, and Flint’s Poisoned Water (January 14, 2016)

Your love is steadfast, O Lord, but how fickle we are. We are never satisfied. In our dissatisfaction we destroy that which we do not understand and devastate that which satisfies as if there is never enough. Our prayers are prayers of contrast as we recognize political, financial and economic pressures are very different across […]

How Can We Pray With Joy: An Advent Prayer After the San Bernardino Shooting (December 3, 2015)

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation. From Prayer of the Day for Second Sunday of Advent, Common Lectionary How much we want to pray this prayer, holy and compassionate God. How much we […]

So Yes, Bring Us the Refugees: A Thanksgiving Prayer for Welcome and Everyday Courage (November 26, 2015)

17 Pray constantly, and 18 give thanks to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. (This is God’s will for all of you in Jesus the Anointed.) 19 Don’t suppress the Spirit. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 – 19 The Voice Compassionate and merciful God it is good to give you thanks and praise this […]

Do Not Be Afraid: A Prayer After the Paris Attacks, for Refugees and a Fearful World (November 19, 2015)

Violence is what happens when we don’t know what else to do with our suffering. – Parker Palmer Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. – Hebrews 13:2 “Do not be afraid,” the messenger from God said to Mary. “Do not be afraid,” the messenger […]

There Is Nowhere God Is Not: Prayers After the Sinai Plane Crash and the Afghanistan Earthquake (November 5, 2015)

God of love, God of inclusion, God of justice and peace, we come to you with hearts heavy with the things that are happening in our world over which we have no control. Lack of control is scary, feels threatening. And yet, even in the midst of our confusion and frustration, there is a truth […]