Christianity

Challenging Fear, Creating Hope: Some Prayers

The mention of crime these days gives rise to our worst fears about safety, for ourselves, our families and our communities. Our fears often lead to paralysis. We don't know what to do, how to respond. When Christians throughout the centuries have experienced fear and uncertainty their first response has been prayer. Jesus taught his disciples to pray using the words of the Lord's Prayer. As we pray this prayer during the week may God help us to deal with our fears in ways that give birth to hope and mobilize us to respond in courage.

Sunday: Restorative Justice

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name

God's approach to justice always tempers judgment with mercy. The goal is the restoration and healing of all involved in conflict, the victim, the community and the offender. When we pray that God's name be honored we are also committing ourselves to honoring God's way of doing justice.

Action: Read Micah 6:8 and investigate the meaning of restorative justice.

Monday: Community

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Even at their very best our communities are a far cry from what God desires... places where the homeless, the refugee and even the victim and the prisoner are welcomed. How can our faith help us to re-create the kind of communities where we can live together as neighbours and so do God's will?

Action: Read Luke 10: 25-37. Consider who are the Samaritans in your community and invite a "neighbour" for coffee.

Tuesday: Families of Victims and Prisoners

Give us today our daily bread.

For many whose lives have been touched by crime this is a daily prayer. God, give us the strength just to get through another day. Fear, guilt, shame, anger are emotions familiar to those whose loved one has been harmed or has harmed others. Crime always has a human face and affects real people in real ways.

Action: Read James 1:27 and reach out to a family you may know who have been touched by crime.

Wednesday: Victims

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Forgiveness is a faith challenge which is beyond the experience of many of us. Some victims get to the place of forgiveness and in so doing lead the way for the rest of us. In their forgiving they show us the pain and teach us the cost that true forgiveness involves. They teach us the meaning of this prayer.

Action: Read Luke 15:11-31. Pray for victims and explore victim services available in your community.

Thursday: Men & Women in prison

Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.

Prisons are places of temptation and violence. The daily challenge those in prison face is dealing with the evil within and around them. But this is not a prayer for prisoners only. How often do we see the evil in our own hearts and pray for deliverance?

Action: Read Titus 3:3-5a and pray for yourself and those in prison near you.

Friday: Authorities

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever.

Healing the victim, restoring the offender, and re-creating the community is the responsibility not just of politicians, professionals and the justice system. It is also the calling of all who seek the kingdom of God.

Action: Read Matthew 6:33. Contact a Chaplain and arrange to visit a prison in your community.

Saturday: Volunteers

Amen.

As we conclude our prayer we pray amen or "So be it!". Many volunteers give of their time and resources to visit prisoners, walk with victims, and support families and ex-offenders. They are people who, through their faith move beyond fear to hope. They show us that it can be done!

Action: Read I John 3:16-18 and find a place where you too can "create hope" by getting involved.