Category: prayer

3 Prayers for refugees


 

Refuge … refugee …

According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) website:

FIGURES AT A GLANCE

We are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record.

An unprecedented 65.6 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18.

There are also 10 million stateless people who have been denied a nationality and access to basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement.

In a world where nearly 20 people are forcibly displaced every minute as a result of conflict or persecution, our work at UNHCR is more important than ever before.

189,300 refugees were resettled in 2016.

 

Last month I published a post entitled “3 Prayers for Wayfarers”. In some sense refugees are wayfarers too, but not by choice.

Here are 3 prayers to help us keep on praying and not lose heart (Luke 18:1-8); despite the size of the problem; despite the seemingly impossible hurdles to providing those forced to leave their homes with genuine “hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Also pray for the work of the UNHCR and other agencies, big and small, seeking to make a difference: for creative solutions, real breakthroughs, and grace.

A prayer from Sudan, 21st century

Lord Jesus,
many of us are waiting for you:
the war-torn are waiting for peace,
the hungry are waiting for bread,
the refugees are waiting for a homeland,
the sick are waiting for healers.
Have you forgotten us?
O Lord, come quickly, we pray.
Amen.

Posted on Bruce Prewer’s Homepage.

African Prayer for Refugees

O Brother Jesus
who as a child was carried into exile,
remember all those who are deprived
of their home or country,
who groan under burden of anguish and sorrow,
enduring the burning heat of the sun,
the freezing cold of the sea,
or the humid heat of the forest,
searching for a place of refuge.
Cause these storms to cease, O Christ.
Move the hearts of those in power
that they may respect the men and women
whom you have created in your own image;
that the grief of refugees may be turned into joy.

from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #452

For the Courage to Do Justice

O Lord,
open our eyes that we may see the needs of refugees;
open our ears that we may hear people’s cries for justice;
open our hearts that we may assist sojourners near and far.

Show us where love, hope and faith are needed.
Use us as ministers of your healing.
Let us not be afraid
to protect the weak because of the anger of the strong,
or to defend the poor because of the power of the rich.

Sustain us so that in these coming days
we may be able to do some work of peace for you.
We ask these things in your blessed name.

from The Uprooted Ones: Remembering Refugees (Uniting Church in Australia), in Welcoming the Stranger, posted on the Minnesota Council of Churches website.

God of grace

The World News in Prayer entry for this week weaves together the particulars of current events with the John Newton song Amazing Grace in a prayer to the God of grace, relief and safety.

You can find the prayer here.

Why not use one of your favourite hymns as an inspiration for prayer this week?

See also: Balm to heal the world

Circle me, Lord


Women’s Day 2016, Rome (Photo: Irene Bom)

Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers, will protect you under His great wings; His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you.

(Psalm 91:4, The Voice)

 
When early Celtic Christians felt physically or spiritually threatened they turned to the Caim or “encircling” prayer as an act of faith in God as our refuge and protection.

Here’s what the book, Celtic Daily Prayer (p. 305-306), has to say about this versatile form of prayer incorporating both spoken word and a simple ritual:

EXCERPT

When words get in the way and it seems impossible to focus, the caim or “encircling” prayer can often be helpful. Draw a circle clockwise around yourself, using the right index finger as you say the prayer; this symbolizes the encircling love of God. (The situation may make this physical action impractical; in which case see the action in your mind’s eye as you pray.) See yourself and others encircled and be aware that the living God surrounds and encloses with His love, care and protection.

 

Two examples of caim prayers taken from Celtic Daily Prayer to outline the format. Substitute the words in italics as appropriate.

1.
Circle (name), Lord
Keep (comfort) near
and (discouragement) afar.
Keep (peace) within
and (turmoil) out.

2.
Circle (name), Lord.
Keep protection near
and danger afar.

Circle (name), Lord.
Keep hope within,
keep despair without.

Circle (name), Lord.
Keep light near
and darkness afar.

Circle (name), Lord.
Keep peace within
and anxiety without.

The eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit
shield (name) on every side.
Amen.

A video in which 6-year-old Elliot shares how encircling prayer has helped him.

Who in your life needs to be encircled by the Eternal, Sacred Three? Why not pause and pray for them right now?

Note: The original Celtic Daily Prayer compiled by the Northumbria Community is now Book One of a two-volume series.

See also: Ancient Irish Prayer.

Abide


Bird houses from recycled billboards*  (Photo: Irene Bom)

 
Hear Jesus’ gracious invitation in John 15:4a: “Abide in me, and I in you.” (King James Version) Or, to put it another way, “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you.” (The Message)

Somehow the word “abide” has the word “refuge” built in. An invitation to make refuge in God a constant, not just in crisis moments.

 
Here is a prayer by way of response.

Father,
In the awareness of your presence,
Beneath the shadow of your wings,
In the closeness of your love,
     May we abide.

Jesus,
In the fellowship of your saints,
In the communion of the faithful,
In the church called to mission,
     May we abide.

Spirit,
In the power of your love,
In the fullness of your gifts,
In the guidance of your wisdom,
     May we abide.

from The Open Gate: Celtic Prayers for Growing Spiritually
by David Adam, p. 98

see also To Emmaus and back

* bird houses made by my brother, Michael

A very present help in trouble


“More fear” billboard, Amsterdam (Photo: Irene Bom)

The theme of the month for September is “Refuge”. For the first post in this series I’ve selected a Call to Worship by Joanna Haradar posted on the Spacious Faith website in 2013, inspired by Psalm 46. The words could have been written yesterday.

Call to Worship

inspired by Psalm 46

The earth shakes, the mountains quake
  — tempting our hearts to fear.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Storms rage, winds swirl
  — destroying schools, hospitals, homes.
Still, God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Violence comes to light in our communities
and violence continues around the world
  — causing us to wonder if our prayers for peace are futile.
Yet God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
For those mourning and rebuilding after the storms,
God is their refuge.
For those living in fear of their neighbours,
God is present.
For the distraught and displaced and dismembered
in Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere,
God is a very present help in trouble.
Therefore, we will not fear.
Therefore, we will lay down our weapons
and worship our God.

In case you were curious about the last line, in her blogpost Joanna Haradar writes:

*A note on the last line of the call to worship: Psalm 46:10 is generally translated as, “Be still and know that I am God.” The Hebrew term translated as “be still” (raphah) more accurately means “let drop, let go, abandon.” It is a call for disarmament, not a request for silent meditation.

 

3 Prayers for wayfarers


Passing by the Colosseum, Rome (photo: Irene Bom)
 

Here are three prayers for wayfarers, including a prayer for safe travel from the Jewish tradition.

Wherever we roam, may we make the time to tune in to God’s presence with us – our constant companion and guide, ever wise and nurturing.

#1

O Lord God,
who called your servants
to ventures of which we
cannot see the ending,
by paths as yet untrodden,
through perils unknown:

Give us faith
to go out with courage,
not knowing where we are going,
but only that your hand is leading us,
and your love supporting us;
to the glory of your name.
Amen.

Eric Milner-White (1884-1963) and G.W. Briggs (1875-1959)
from Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #161

#2

Lord Jesus Christ,
You said that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life;
let us never stray from you, who are the Way;
nor distrust you, who are the Truth;
nor rest in any other but you, who are the Life,
beyond whom there is nothing to be desired,
either in heaven or on earth.
We ask it for your name’s sake.
Amen.

Erasmus (1466-1536)
from Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #156

#3

Wayfarer’s Prayer
Jewish Prayer for a Safe Journey

“May it be Your will, o Lord, our God and the God of our ancestors, that You lead us toward peace, guide our footsteps toward peace, and make us reach our desired destination for life, gladness, and peace. May You rescue us from the hand of every foe, ambush along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to earth. May You send blessing in our handiwork, and grant us grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our humble request because You are God Who hears prayer requests. Blessed are You, our Lord, Who hears prayer. Amen.”

Source: travelingilove.com

more …

At 36,000 Feet, Closer to God: Alana Newhouse’s personal reflection on the Wayfarer’s Prayer, published on the NY Times website.

Posts on theme of the month: on a journey

In the school of prayer with Ann Lewin

For this post I’ve selected an excerpt from Seasons of Grace by Ann Lewin that explores the similarities between prayer and bird watching. It’s taken from a chapter entitled, “Material for use in a Quiet Garden” and includes one of her poems, “Disclosure”.

May her words inspire us to contemplation and get us in the mood for prayer and a little bird watching of our own.

EXCERPT

Bird watching has taught me that all is gift. I may go out hoping to see a particular bird – but it may not be in evidence. I can’t control the movement of the birds. And if I am too intent on seeing one particular bird, I may miss a lot of other things that are around. Prayer is like that:

Disclosure
Prayer is like watching for the
Kingfisher. All you can do is
Be where he is likely to appear, and
Wait.
Often, nothing much happens;
There is space, silence and
Expectancy.
No visible sign, only the
Knowledge that he’s been there,
And may come again.
Seeing or not seeing cease to matter,
You have been prepared.
But sometimes, when you’ve almost
Stopped expecting it,
A flash of brightness
Gives encouragement.

So it’s all gift. The work we have to do is be prepared, in the right habitat, with the right disposition. And then we have to respond, with thanksgiving for God’s amazing love which cares even for the sparrows, endangered species that they are.

 
from Seasons of Grace by Ann Lewin, pp. 208-9
poem from Watching for the Kingfishers, p. 23

On kingfishers

I recently saw kingfisher nests in the Biesbosch on an outing with my Iona regional group, but no sightings of kingfishers, unfortunately.

The Dutch call these birds “ijsvogels” (ice birds). In France they are named after St. Martin of Tours: Martin Pêcheur (St. Martin’s fisher). I think I like the name “kingfisher” best.

Video of kingfishers building their nests

Digging deeper

– An in-depth discussion of the poem, “Disclosure”
– Liturgy featuring some of Ann Lewin’s writing

See also In the school of prayer with Eddie Askew.

People of the way


Cracks in the road, Edinburgh (Photo: Irene Bom)

 
In the upper room, just hours before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said:

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.’

Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’

John 14:1-7

I wonder

Is that why the early Christians were known as “People of the Way”?
(see Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22)

Saul of Tarsus – a radical young Rabbi – played an active part in persecuting followers of the Way until Jesus appeared to him on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-18) and he had a change of heart and became a follower of the Way too. Through his missionary journeys and letters he touched many lives and communities and the movement spread, even to this day.

Digging deeper

Read Acts 16:16-40 about Paul and Silas’ night in a Philippian jail. Imagine you are one of the other prisoners. What can you tell about “People of the Way” from what you witness that night? What is your response?

Also check out this helpful study outline on “People of the Way”.

Prayer

inspired by Mark 14:12-15

Lord,
to those of us who sometimes find
your ways of doing things
and choice of messengers
puzzling and
perplexing;

may that unnamed water-carrier,
who led those first disciples to
the upper room,
alert us to the many
little-known people
who cross our paths,
and who,
if followed,
lead us through
unexpected
doors
of welcome and hospitality
to extraordinary
revelations
of your grace.

from A Procession of Prayers: Meditations and Prayers from Around the World by John Carden, p. 165

Waters of baptism

As we come to the end of a month-long celebration of water and the many ways it touches our lives as people and as people of faith, finally a post on baptism.

“Whenever I hear the sound of water flowing or see the water poured in the sacrament of baptism, my soul is deeply moved and built up as I remember the promises claimed at my own baptism and those of my children. The signs and sounds of that gesture speak profoundly to me of the renewal we have in Christ Jesus, claimed in baptism and claimed again each time I remember the promises of my baptism.”

— A worshiper (from Reformed Worship)

Themes

In researching the topic of baptism for this blog post, two key themes stood out for me.

Firstly, baptism has been a fruitful topic in ecumenical relations, helping foster dialogue and reconciliation.

Secondly, there is much to be gained by “keeping baptism front and center” (Arlo D. Duba) in our church life.

According to Arlo D. Duba:

Too often we neglect baptism’s missional focus to go into all the world to make disciples, baptizing them (Matt. 28:19). Or we overlook the element of entering into the death and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-6). Even when we introduce something like the Paschal (Easter) Vigil, we sometimes downplay or miss altogether its integral relationship with baptism.

Luther urged Christians to practice the daily renewal of the baptismal covenant by placing a hand on the head each morning and saying, ‘I am a baptized person, and today I will live out my baptism.’ And Calvin says that our propensity toward evil never ceases, but we take courage because what ‘begins in our baptism’ must be pursued every day until it is perfected when we go to be with the Lord (Institutes, 4, 15, 11).

Baptismal renewal must also be reflected in our services of worship. This means baptism, in all its power, must again become visible in all our worship services — not only when the sacrament of baptism is administered, but every Sunday.

(for full article, see 2. below)

Recommended reading/listening

1. Ecumenical resources on Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows and Liturgy,
Church of Scotland website
2. Take Me to the Water: Ideas for keeping baptism front and center,
by Arlo D. Duba
3. Worship Ideas on the Sacrament of Baptism,
by Howard Vanderwell and Norma de Waal Malefyt
4. Talking with Children about the Sacraments (audio, 01:08:56),
by Sue A. Rozeboom and Carrie Steenwyk (2012 Calvin Symposium on Worship)

Prayer

O Christ, you humbled yourself and received baptism at the hands of your friend and cousin, John, showing us the way of humility; help us to follow you, and never to be encumbered with pride.

O Christ, by your baptism, you took our humanity into the cleansing waters; give us new birth, and lead us into life as sons and daughters of God.

O Christ, by your baptism the material world became charged with your holiness; make us instruments of your transformation in this our world.

O Christ, by your baptism you revealed the Trinity, your Father calling you his beloved Son, and the Spirit descending upon you like a dove; renew our worship, rededicate us in the spirit of our baptism, and mould us into our true nature, in the image of God.

For your love’s sake,
Amen.

after the Chaldean Rite

from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, p. 393

Ancient Irish Prayer

celtic tea light

Here is an Ancient Irish Prayer, selected for its multiple references to water, our current theme of the month.

The prayer incorporates Latin phrases from the Gloria, an ancient hymn of praise to the Trinity that has been in use in the Church since the second century: Laudamus Te, benedicimus Te, adoramus Te, glorificamus Te. In English: “We praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we glorify You”.

Glorificamus Te!

I offer Thee
Every flower that ever grew
Every bird that ever flew
Every wind that ever blew
Good God!
Every thunder rolling
Every church bell tolling
Every leaf and sod

Laudamus Te!

I offer Thee
Every wave that ever moved
Every heart that ever loved
Thee, thy Father’s Well-beloved
Dear Lord!
Every river dashing
Every lightning flashing
Like an angel’s sword

Benedicimus Te!

I offer Thee
Every cloud that ever swept
O’er the skies, and broke and wept
In rain, and with the flowerlets slept
My King!
Every communicant praying
Every angel staying
Before Thy throne to sing

Adoramus Te!

I offer Thee
Every flake of virgin snow,
Every spring of earth below
Every human Joy and woe,
My love!
O Lord! And all thy glorious
Self o’er death victorious
Throned in heaven above

Glorificamus Te!

from The Open Gate: Celtic Prayers for Growing Spiritually
by David Adam, p. 44-45

Reflection

Recently a friend remarked that the song “All things bright and beautiful” is like a 2-minute walk through nature. This prayer is also a walk through nature, but, without the music to keep us moving, it’s up to us how long we take to cover the distance.

See also Theme: Come to the waters (Prayer sheet)