Francis chose as his theme of reflection and prayer: “Migrant minors, vulnerable and voiceless.”.
Prayer proposed by the Conference of the Bishops of France:
Lord, God of the universe
You are the Father of all the children of the earth.
You know each one.
You look at us not as nameless beings
But as persons, with a face, a story.
Each one is for you a beloved child!
Teach us to look at one another
as you look at us.
Teach us to dare to look into another’s eyes.
Open our eyes to meet You in our brothers and sisters.
You have a preference for the little ones.
Like Jesus, you turn toward children and youth.
We give thanks for their energy
And for the hope which they bear.
They remind us that the future lies ahead of us:
A future to be built together, in humaness.
Everyone can bring their stone
So that life, peace and hope can develop.
You do not look away when life is threatened.
No suffering, no vulnerability is foreign to you.
You hear the cry of your children: those are our voices
Those are our gestures, our bodies, our looks.
You see the hand outstretched and the lifeless body;
You see the welcoming look and the barriers that are raised;
You hear the cries of a mother after the shipwreck
And the laughter of the child who found a new homeland.
Here are our eyes, our hands, our intelligence and our will.
Empower our lives with your goodness and your wisdom.
Give us an awakened and compassionate heart.
Make us grow in humanness, in word and in deed.
Teach us the way of Life.
Amen
