A prayer
Eternal God, we seek through prayer to uplift our minds and hearts and refresh our spirits.
Spirit of love be with us.
We are grateful to share fellowship with each other but we come with haunting images in our minds images of people in distress, people looking for sanctuary – children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, people from across the world – Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Libya, desperate people for whom it feels safer to place a family on a flimsy raft on the sea than to remain on dry land.
Spirit of love be with us in our concern and compassion.
Let us recall the words spoken by Jesus that take us to the heart of our religious truth:
“For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me….Truly, I tell you just as you did it to one of the least of those who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Spirit of love, we give thanks for the wider fellowship which springs from our common humanity, that transcends all boundaries of race, culture and creed.
For this common humanity, revealed in acts of loving kindness, wherever it may be – the offer of food, an arm across a shoulder, a hand to hold, a smile, a listening ear, we give thanks. For we know there will be those who offer these things, despite the coldness and indifference of others.
And we pray that we may live our lives in the ever deepening faith that all men and women are kin.
Be with us in the service of love; in all our effort; in our successes and our failures and may something of your peace bless us and those who seek sanctuary. Amen
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