Friday, September 3, 2021

A Prayer For Those Evacuated

Maren C. Tirabassi

You are, O God, who you are,
a Bush that can never be consumed
by the Caldor Fire,
can never be blown away
by Hurricane Ida,
can never be crushed
by the violence in Afghanistan.

In our too-much-exodus days,
we pray especially for all
who have fled their homes,
in these and so many other
fires, storms, floods,
in earthquake and warfare.

Comfort them all in their longing
for small things of home,
left behind or gone forever,
for the food of home
around a small happy table,
even when they can say nothing,
because they are grateful
to family, friends, strangers in shelters
who welcome and feed them.

Comfort them for losses –
simply of the view from home,
of memories,
of a toy that could not be taken,
a companion animal
who fled in fright,
or could not board an airplane,
of the way a neighborhood
won’t be the same people.

Strengthen them for change,
for the hard work
of accepting the help of others,
for long waiting to learn
what has happened to family, friends.

Give them manna
that comes in so many forms,
and sweet water
from days hard as rocks. amen.