This past Sunday I posted a piece about the great interfaith campaign called Fighting Poverty with Faith, a broad effort by Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish groups to address hunger in our country through education, actions and prayer during the month of October.
I would like to share an interfaith prayer related to this effort. This was put together by Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA); Rev. Larry Snyder, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA; Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in Christ in the USA; and Dr. Sayyid Syeed, national director for the Islamic Society of North America’s Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances.
The prayer calls for the creation of new, sustainable and green job opportunities for the poor. We are encouraged to read this prayer at our Fighting Poverty with Faith events, at our church, synagogue, mosque or temple:
Merciful and compassionate God, Divine Architect, Your people and your planet call to you, for both are suffering.
So many of your children cry out for shelter, food, and meaningful work. Make us partners, we pray, in your work of caring for all in need.
So much of your Creation groans from the effects of our pollution. Make us partners, we pray, in your work of healing the earth. Help us to create jobs that both honor the need of your planet as well as those holy souls who have no work,
Please give to those who lead a vision of the day when every person, created in your sacred image, has employment with a living wage.
Give to us gathered here the courage to speak for those without voice, the strength to act on our convictions, the discernment to see the world as you want it to be, and the wisdom to respond together as persons of different faiths.
In these moments with one another, may we feel your presence and together praise your holy name.Amen
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