Hear now, God, the prayer of hostages!
Prayers spoken through teeth clenched in fear,
prayers courageously floating on a tide of despair,
prayers that are a slender thread of hope.
We cry for an end to the nightmare
of each soul in captivity.
Creator God, touch the hearts of captors,
recall to them the sacredness of each life in their hands—
keep them from doing more harm.
Prince of Peace, work your miracle of transformation;
out of situations of unspeakable violence,
bring healing, bring hope.
Holy Spirit, strong dove of comfort,
you go where we cannot.
Fly straight to imprisoned and imprisoning hearts
with a message of love.
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.