A child’s thanksgiving for mothers

(Giles Harcourt)

Lord, we thank you for our mothers
and the gift of
their tenderness and understanding,
their patience and thoughtfulness,
their kindness and love.

We can be so wilful,
so thoughtless,
so impatient,
and so unkind;
for often we demand without grace
and receive without thanks
and always we expect more.
We expect our mothers to be there
to cater to our selfishness,
and then we wonder why
she gets tired and irritable
and thoroughly fed up.
Yet through all these things she loves us.

Lord, teach us to be thoughtful
and understanding and sensitive to our mother’s needs,
that we may ease her days
and increase her joy.
We ask this through the generous and loving example
of our saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

For children who live in fear

Oh God,
You are filled with tender love
for those who live in fear
– bless all children who live in fear;
afraid of someone at home;
afraid of someone at school;
afraid of a relation;
afraid of someone who has treated them wrongly.
Give all those children the wisdom
they need to know whom they can trust,
so that their fears can be heard,
and justice and truth prevail.
and then bring to their wounded minds and souls
the healing of your peace. Amen.

Thanks for Family and Friends

(Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, Ottawa, Canada: Publications Service, 1981)

Blessed are you, loving Father,
for all your gifts to us.
Blessed are you for giving us family and friends
to be with us in times of joy and sorrow,
to help us in days of need,
and to rejoice with us in moments for celebration.

Father,
we praise you for your Son Jesus,
who knew the happiness of family and friends,
and in the love of your Holy Spirit.
Blessed are you for ever and ever.

Amen.