God our Protector, we pray this day
for all women and men, boys and girls who are homeless.
for those sleeping under bridges, on park benches, in doorways or bus stations.
for those who can only find shelter for the night but must wander in the daytime.
for families broken because they could not afford to pay the rent.
for those who have no relatives or friends who can taken them in.
for those who have no place to keep possessions that remind them who they are.
for those who are afraid and hopeless.
for those who have been betrayed by our social safety net.
for all these people, we pray that you will provide shelter, security and hope.
We pray for those with warm homes and comfortable beds
that we may not be lulled into complacency and forgetfulness.
Jesus, help us to see your face in the eyes of every homeless person we meet.
Empower us to work for justice and peace through words and deeds,
and through the political means we have.
Give us open hearts to greet and meet the homeless people in our neighborhoods.
We pray this in your name. Amen. (Judy Ponio)
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
