Walk With me on Our Journey: Imagining the unimaginable : That we are walking in the footsteps of our family members who are refugees.

Dear Family of Love!

Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! This evening we have begun a daily series of virtual prayer vigils beginning at 8:00 p.m. in the evening wherever you may be. They are going to be devoted to praying for refugees, peace in the world, and the need to be CALM (compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful). Our aim is to dedicate these hours to the holiness of time and space. We have an opportunity to be at prayer with each other mindfully, intentionally, and interconnectedly. I invite your prayers during these time periods as part of going off the grid and being at one with God and creating a time of sacred conversation with God. Tonight's prayer focus is devoted to the many refugees who are seeking a better life and the need to flee from oppressive regimes. We remember the Syrian refugees this evening.

Walking in the footsteps of a refugee
A Guided Meditation and Virtual Prayer Walk

Let us imagine ourselves through the eyes of a refugee and pray along the way.

Imagine you have decided to leave the only home you and your family have ever known.

God I don't want to live in this country where my children and husband and I are having to dodge bullets and face daily fears. God help us to have courage to leave this war torn city and country and find safety.

Imagine having to carry a loaded in a backpack without any of the usual comfort items.

God I'm not ready to become homeless but in order to find a better life for my family I must Give me courage to take what I really need for my husband, children and myself.

Imagine the first day on the road by foot. How do your feet feel and what does your body feel like going long distances?

God my feet feel like they have become calloused, blistered, and in a lot of pain. Give us courage to honor our bodies, minds, and spirits when we need to as we flee our country of origin.

Imagine not having enough warmth on these cold nights out in the open.

God help us to find a suitable place of shelter for the night and that we may find warmth.

Imagine meeting up with other refugees and telling your stories and developing a new kind of family.

God we thank you that we have met many of our fellow refugee families and that we finally realize that we are all in this as one big family. God help us to find and make lasting friendships and that we may find safety together.

Imagine being in danger and seeing lawless gangs.

God help us to remain safe and secure and we pray for our enemies and those who wish to do us harm.

Imagine us having to find shelter, clothing, and food everyday on the road and there aren't any refugee camps nearby.

God help us to find shelter, clothing,food everyday. Help us to keep our eyes and ears open to finding refugee camps that are run by compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful people.

Imagine becoming ill on the road.
God help us to find ways to cope with illness each day that we are not in familiar territory.

Imagine having a loved one die on the road.

God help us to mourn our loved ones loss on the road and that we may honor their bodies by burying them reverently in the ground. Help us to always to remember to carry white sheets for burial shrouds along the way.

Imagine you have finally reached the refugee camps and are awaiting resettlement.
God we thank you for finally reaching the camp and we pray that we may have patience to wait our turn to go through the resettlement process.

Imagine the day when you meet your sponsoring family.
God we thank you for our new family. Help us when it is our turn to welcome the stranger that we may model our lives after you Jesus and remember that you, Mary, and Joseph were refugees too.

In honor of Elizabeth of Hungary I have placed the collect and lessons here if you would like more additional time for prayer and reflection:

Almighty God, by your grace your servant Elizabeth of Hungary recognized and honored Jesus in the poor of this world: Grant that we, following her example, may with love and gladness serve those in any need or trouble, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Tobit 12:6b-9

"Bless God and acknowledge him in the presence of all the living for the good things he has done for you. Bless and sing praise to his name. With fitting honor declare to all people the deeds of God. Do not be slow to acknowledge him. It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to acknowledge and reveal the works of God, and with fitting honor to acknowledge him. Do good and evil will not overtake you. Prayer with fasting is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life."

Psalm 146:4-9 Page 803, BCP

Lauda, anima mea

4: Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!*
whose hope is in the LORD their God;
5: Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
who keeps his promise for ever;
6: Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
and food to those who hunger.
7: The LORD sets the prisoners free;
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind; *
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
8: The LORD loves the righteous;
the LORD cares for the stranger; *
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
9: The LORD shall reign for ever, *
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!

or

Psalm 112:1-9 Page 755, BCP

Beatus vir

1: Hallelujah!
Happy are they who fear the Lord *
and have great delight in his commandments!
2: Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3: Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
and their righteousness will last for ever.
4: Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
5: It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice.
6: For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
7: They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
their heart is right;
they put their trust in the Lord.
8: Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
until they see ther desire upon their enemies.