Prayers
In this space you are invited to pray for the people who live in this house or who have come here for shelter. Some of these people are here because they are temporarily homeless, through disaster or misfortune. Some of the people who are here live on the street. Some have mental illnesses or have run away from their homes because of violence, fear or hope of a better life. Some of the people here are waiting to have their bids for asylum or refugee status reviewed; others are waiting to be deported. Others are people who work here and who are trying to care for those without homes.
You might like to light a candle as a focus for meditation, or focus on a person or family highlighted by a charity for homeless people such as Shelter. You could also focus your prayers on a local hostel, detention centre, prison, or shelter and pray for all those who help the homeless and try to care for them.
Ben
For those who have run away from home
Lord Jesus Christ,
You knew difficulties at home:
those who did not understand you,
those who would not listen,
those who thought you had gone mad, bad or worse
Look now with compassion
on all those who have run away from home,
those who are escaping from abuse,
those for whom home is not safe,
those who feel trapped and hopeless,
those who have nowhere now to go.
Help us to remember those who wait for news,
guide and help all those who search for the missing,
strengthen those who look for an help runaway people,
all those who provide shelter and new hope
for your name’s sake. Amen