O Source of Life,
Known by many names and beyond all naming,
You who accompany every journey
And dwell within every human heart—
We turn our thoughts to all who move across borders:
Those who flee danger,
Those who seek opportunity,
Those who carry hope alongside uncertainty.
Be near to them in their travels.
Protect them on roads, seas, and in places of waiting.
Grant them dignity where it is denied,
And rest where they are weary.
We pray for our nations and communities:
Guard us from becoming closed in upon ourselves,
From fear that hardens into exclusion,
From comfort that forgets compassion.
Open our eyes to see not strangers, but friends.
Open our hands to offer welcome.
Open our hearts to receive, not only to give—
For those who arrive among us bring gifts unseen:
New wisdom, resilience, culture, and courage.
We pray for leaders in every land:
That they may act with justice and mercy,
That their words may resist division,
And their decisions reflect our shared humanity.
May they set an example—
Not only of welcoming the stranger,
But of recognising in them a brother, a sister, a fellow pilgrim.
Teach us all that no border can contain love,
No difference erase dignity,
No journey fall outside Your care.
May we become communities of hospitality,
Where fear gives way to understanding,
And generosity grows into solidarity.
In this shared hope,
Across all traditions and beliefs,
We offer this prayer.
Christopher Evan Longhurst
Originally written for Chapter 20, “Interreligious, Indigenous, and Intercultural Approaches to Welcoming—and Ultimately Loving—the Stranger,” in Christopher Evan Longhurst, Zachariah Duke and Mary Eastham (eds.), On the Move! Migration and Practical Theology: Emerging Challenges, Experiences and Responses Across Oceania (Coventry Press, 2026).
