A Prayer to My Father
By Kathy Coffey-Guenther, PhD, senior mission and Ignatian leadership specialist
On this Father’s Day, let us bring to our minds and hearts the special dads and men in our lives who supported, taught, and loved us.
Let us remember those experiences that brought joy and consolation to us and let us remember the challenging times in which we grew and learned to become the people we are today.
Let us lift these dear men up in gratitude and blessing, whether they are still here with us on this earth, or whether they are living in God’s peace forever.
May their lessons of love and care and responsibility continue to pass forward through our lives and our love, bringing goodness and kindness to all those we love and serve.
Our Father,
My Father,
Who art in Heaven,
Who walks and runs and stumbles upon this earth,
Hallowed by thy name.
I am blessed by your name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Your legacy will come
Thy will be done,
Ground in the faith and love of God and family,
On earth as it is in heaven.
On earth as it will be in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
Thank you for this day, my anam cara,
And forgive us our trespasses,
And let us forgive one another for any harm we may have caused,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
Let us be generous with extending grace towards one another,
Always resting in the depth of God’s loving care for us and
All other beings in this blessed creation.
And lead us not into temptation,
Let us stay indifferent and unattached to any one thing beyond Christ’s love,
But deliver us from evil.
And let our love always serve Christ’s glory by loving and serving others.
Amen.
Amen.
