Prayers to Help Battle Wildfires

In January of 2025, approximately 70 elite firefighters arrived in Los Angeles from Mexico accompanied by Mexican military personnel. They came to help battle wildfires that took many lives and consumed thousands of structures. It is hard to imagine what makes people risk their lives running into a fire. Surely, this has something to do with sharing the loving kindness we know through our faith. At great personal risk, Mexican firefighters and military personnel worked alongside U.S. and Canadian personnel to save lives.  

Some Bible translations use the word kindness and others use mercy in interpreting Micah 6:8. The Hebrew word is chessed or hessed and it’s multifaceted, deep, rich meaning makes it hard to use just one word to say what it means in English –  or Spanish for that matter. It helps to remember that God is inviting people to be themselves filled with loving kindness and just to do kind things.  

When addressing immigration, Bread has prioritized first recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of all persons, and in so doing, share God’s loving kindness with everyone.

He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
    and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

Let us pray:

God of mercy and kindness, your word guides us in all things.

You challenge us to live in right relationship with you and one another as well. 

You challenge us to be people of justice. You call us to act justly and to demand justice from others.

You challenge us to seek mercy and kindness. You call us to show mercy and kindness to others, even when we disagree.

You challenge us to walk humbly alongside you. You call us to be humble alongside all our siblings. 

Through your son Jesus Christ, we know that in life and in death, we belong to you. 

Bless us O Lord that we might be more faithful. Amen