This Week's Prayer

Adapted from Hildegarde of Bingen:

“Fire of the Spirit, life of the lives of creatures, spiral of sanctity, bond of all natures, glow of charity, lights of clarity, taste of sweetness to the fallen, be with us and hear us. Composer of all things, joy in the glory, strong honor, be with us and hear us.” (SLT #493)

Be with us and hear us, as our hearts are with the millions fleeing Syria, seeking refuge in Europe.

These words went up recently at UUA.org:

“The familiar can be delicate and too often suddenly lost and destroyed: homes and roads and neighborhoods -- or simply the sense of security which makes a place feel like it’s yours, like it’s a place to stay.
For so many reasons, people depart. They seek refuge from a thousand dangers and uncertainties for themselves and their children from places they can’t stay onward to places often unknown.
We hold the refugee, asylum-seeker, immigrant in prayer:
May God be with you.
May your grief and loss be assuaged.
May the hard road you travel include spaces of rest and security.
May you know your inherent worth and dignity every day of the journey.
We pray for the people who are met along the way:
May they remember how they were strangers too.
May they embrace the pathways of compassion.
May they recall the teachings of the prophets.
May they make room in their hearts and their homes.
We pray for all of us:
May the news that 70 migrating people were discovered dead in a truck arriving in Austria open our eyes to injustice.
May the image of the body of the 3-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi make us tremble and wail.
May the plight of refugees in Budapest stir our souls.
May we understand that around the world similar tragedies occur daily, usually beyond our awareness.
May we count our blessings and direct our generous support where there is need.
May we seek partnerships that confront unjust structures and hardened hearts.
May we recommit ourselves to global community beyond all borders.
In human solidarity, and with a firm commitment to the pathways of compassion, may we pray and act unceasingly.”

“Fire of the Spirit, . . . Composer of all things, joy in the glory, strong honor, be with us and hear us.”