Walking the Labyrinth on Behalf of the Most Vulnerable

The Taizé song O Lord Hear My Prayer is based on the words of Psalm 102. Participants at the social justice vigil at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Albuquerque on Tuesday chanted this song as they walked the labyrinth garden in prayerful meditation.

The vigil was part of the  For Such a Time as This, a campaign that urges people of faith to pray, fast and advocate on the 21st day of every month.

O Lord, hear my prayer
O Lord, hear my prayer
When I call, answer me

O Lord, hear my prayer
O Lord, hear my prayer
Come and listen to me

Photo: Bread for the World

Solidarity in Prayer
The vigil is held in different communities around the country on the 21st of the month to declare that prayer (including fasting) and advocacy are seamless, that we draw on the grace of our Creator to speak out for the most vulnerable in our society. The policies of our government on the budget, environmental protection, tax policy, health care, foreign assistance and other issues often ignore the needs of those who have the least.

The vigil at St. Paul was the first in Albuquerque since the campaign was launched in May 2017, but Karla Ice and other organizers plan to continue to sponsor the gathering of prayer and reflection locally on the 21st of the month through December 21, 2018. "We fast on the 21st of each month because the last week of the month is the hungry week in America — by the 21st, people will have used 90 percent of SNAP (formerly food stamp) benefits," said Sojourners, one of the sponsors of the campaign, along with Bread for the World, the Episcopal Church, the ELCA and many others.

Strengthening our Commitment
At the St. Paul Vigil, the labyrinth mediation was preceded with a reflection taken from the bulletin insert used by many churches in our country for Bread for the World Sunday.

Today, we join people of faith across the country in praying f or those who struggle with hunger — and in rededicating ourselves to efforts that help end hunger. Our prayerful work to end hunger is a response to the Gospel’s invitation to take part in the banquet of God’s mercy and abundance that is ours through Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:1-14). 

Our prayers and our actions are especially urgent at this time. South Sudan is suffering from a devastating famine, and famine threatens Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen. In the United States, the president and Congress are making budget decisions that could make life even harder for the one in eight Americans who struggle to get enough to eat. In response to these urgent needs, we join the many other churches involved in Bread for the World. Working together, we are helping persuade our nation’s leaders to get our country and the world on track toward the goal of ending hunger by 2030. Our faith is in Christ, who makes all things new, and we place our hope in God’s vision of a world without hunger.   Amen!