Intercession
We call to mind the fact that individuals are bought and sold to satisfy the wants and greed of others – economic greed, seeking power over others, sexual satisfaction:
We pray that all men and women involved in trafficking will come to see that, in satisfying the wants of others, they inflict untold cruelty on the innocent.
Taize (Sing or say)
O Lord hear my prayer
O Lord hear my prayer
When I call, answer me …(Repeat)
We call to mind the suffering of trafficked children, deprived of the love and care within a family, living in fear, deprived of physical needs and education, unlikely to survive into adulthood:
(Pause)
We pray for all children trafficked far from their homeland into lives of suffering and want … that they will be found and rescued.
Taize (Sing or say)
O Lord hear my prayer
O Lord hear my prayer
When I call, answer me …(Repeat)
We hold in our hearts all those religious and lay women who are involved in the movement Against Human Trafficking throughout the world:
(Pause)
We ask that doors will open for them so that they can more successfully work to bring about changes in law which support the repatriation of trafficked individuals.
Taize (Sing or say)
O Lord hear my prayer
O Lord hear my prayer
When I call, answer me …(Repeat)
We pray for all officials working in government agencies – in embassies and consulates, in customs, at border crossings, in police forces and in the judicial system:
(Pause)
That they will be above corruption and have the skills to recognise the signs of fear and coercion in trafficked individuals passing through their areas of surveillance.
Taize (Sing or say)
O Lord hear my prayer
O Lord hear my prayer
When I call, answer me …(Repeat)
We pray for those religious and lay people who put themselves at risk by becoming actively involved in anti-trafficking movements:
(Pause)
That they will have the spiritual, human and financial support they need and that they will be safe.
Taize (Sing or say)
O Lord hear my prayer
O Lord hear my prayer
When I call, answer me …(Repeat)
Any other intention or prayer may be added.
LET US PRAY TOGETHER
Almighty and loving God, you who created all people in your image,
Lead us to become individuals of deep compassion as we read and reflect on the stories of affliction suffered by trafficked men, women and children.
You gave your only Son, Jesus, who died and rose again so that sins will be forgiven.
We place before you today the pain and anguish of the trafficked who are deprived of land, language, culture, family and the hope of justice.
We live in faith that you will hear our prayer for them so that they will escape from the pain and hopelessness of their situations. Touch their spirits with hope and heal their suffering bodies.
We are sorry on behalf of our human brothers and sisters who inflict such pain. We ask forgiveness and conversion for them.
Help each of us to grow in compassion and in gratitude for our own freedom and the riches we enjoy.
We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
