8/14/26
Is tomorrow a holy day of obligation?
Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 8/14

For some this post will seem to come too early but students go back to school at various times and I don't want to miss any of them!
Below you'll find three prayers I wrote for those who are returning to the classroom: one for students, one for parents, one for teachers and one for empty nesters.
Following my prayers, you'll find another prayer for empty nesters from Diana Macalintal's fine book, The Work of Your Hands: Prayers for Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments of Grace.
Help me remember that you’re always by my side,
at school and all day long.
Help me be the best student I can be,
using all the gifts and talents you’ve given me.
Help me study well and often
– especially when I don’t feel like studying at all!
Help me finish all my homework – on time.
Help me listen to my teachers and coaches.
Help me play fair and play safely.
Help me be honest when I’m tempted to cheat.
Help me always tell the truth.
Help me be kind to everyone at school
and to treat others as I’d want them to treat me.
Help me make good friends
and help me be a good friend to others.
Help me see how I can help others
and to ask for help when I need it myself.
Help me love and respect, trust and appreciate my parents
- and be honest with them.
Help me remember that you’re with me always, Lord,
and that you’ll never leave my side.
Amen.
As my children leave for school,
I pray you keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds
to all that's true and beautiful and good.
Help them see the gifts and talents
you have given them
and teach them to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
and lead others to be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
and help them teach what's just and true.
Send your angels to guide and guard my children
and to keep them from all harm.
Open their young hearts to your presence
and enfold them in your peace and protection.
Hold them in the palm of your hand, Lord,
and at day's end, bring them safely home.
Amen.
A new school year is about to begin
and my classroom door will soon open
to the students you've assigned to my care...
Open my mind and heart to each of them
and especially to the ones
who will challenge me the most...
Help me challenge my students, all of them,
to study, to learn, to grow in knowledge
and even a little wisdom...
Help me remember, Lord,
how young my students are:
give me patience to help them grow up
and insight to know the help they need...
Help me understand that sometimes
my students may not understand me:
help me be clear in all I say and do...
My students don't know the burdens and worries
my heart brings to the classroom, Lord,
so help me remember how anxious and how heavy
Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
except for those who need my help the most...
Let my choices and decisions in the classroom
be fair and just, honest and true...
Send your Spirit to fill me with gifts
of knowledge and understanding, counsel and wisdom…
Lord, open my mind and heart to my students' parents,
especially those who'll challenge me the most...
Help me challenge parents to challenge their children
to study, to learn and to grow...
When a son is leaving home:
Yes, it's hard...
but it was, in large measure, just for this
that you brought him into the world:
for him to grow and mature,
to begin to be on his own,
loving you not any less at all
and perhaps even loving you more
and how you'll love him yet
as he becomes more and more his own man,
but it was, in large measure, just for this
that you brought her into the world:
for her to grow and mature,
to begin to be on her own,
and perhaps even loving you more
for all you've given her up 'til now
and how you'll lover her yet
as she becomes more and more her own woman,
Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child
and entrusted me with her care.
Surround her with good people and watch over her each day.
And let her know that I will always be near
whenever she may need me.
Heal any hurts we may harbor with each other
and forgive our failings
as we learn to be in a new kind of relationship with each other.
And when the sight of her empty room
pierces my heart with sadness,
may I find comfort in knowing that my child is your child too,
filled with your grace and sheltered by your love.
Amen.
Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.
Used with permission.
Now he leaves this home and begins a new life apart from me.
Surround him with good people and watch over him each day.
And let him know that I will always be near
whenever he may need me.
Heal any hurts we may harbor with each other
and forgive our failings
as we learn to be in a new kind of relationship with each other.
And when the sight of his empty room
pierces my heart with sadness,
may I find comfort in knowing that my child is your child too,
filled with your grace and sheltered by your love.
Amen.
Copyright 2014 by Order of Saint Benedict.
Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.
Used with permission.
8/13/26
NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 8/13

deepen our compassion,
And let nothing, Lord:
no ideology, theory or philosophy,
no bias, intolerance or prejudice,
no strategy, policy or system,
no authority, administration or allegiance -
let nothing, Lord, stand in the way
of our loving and serving you
in the lives and through the needs
of all our brothers and sisters...
they don’t know what’s wrong or right
they’re too busy living life to get involved today
Jesus said turn the other the cheek
he didn’t say look the other way
No, ya gotta be wise as a serpent
harmless as a dove
you gotta fight for what is right
ya gotta do it in God’s love
ya gotta be wise as a serpent
meek as a lamb
well, it’s ok to be slow to speak
- don’t have your head down in the sand
Confronting hatred, intimidation
disguised as the wise protecting the rights
of a free and sovereign nation
they’ll tolerate you, oh, you may progress
as long as the song you sing has the proper ring
and you always tell them yes
Oh, ya gotta be wise as a serpent
harmless as a dove
you gotta fight for what is right
ya gotta do it in God’s love
ya gotta be wise as a serpent
meek as a lamb
well, I may be slow to speak
- when my head is in the sand
Ain’t always easy stand by and see
the lies people buy when they close their eyes
to the truth they don’t wanna believe
some will not listen, their own way
they way they choose is the way to loose
and they won’t know until it’s too late
Oh, ya gotta be wise as a serpent
harmless as a dove
oh, ya gotta be wise as a serpent
harmless as a dove
oh, ya gotta be wise, harmless,
ya gotta be wise, harmless
There’s lots of evil we can fight
there’s lots of truth that we can cut loose
lots of darkness needs our light
I guarantee you - you will be misunderstood
ah but what the heck can you expect
from them that call evil good
Ya gotta be wise as a serpent
harmless as a dove
ya gotta be wise as a serpent
harmless as a dove
Bad information can mess up your direction
half-truths and lies can slip on by
without some diligent detection
lambs are innocent, serpents are wise
well don’t be a lamb that’s ignorant
and get the wool pulled over your eyes
Ya gotta be wise as a serpent
harmless as a dove
you gotta fight for what is right
ya gotta do it in God’s love
ya gotta be wise as a serpent
meek as a lamb
well, it’s ok to be slow to speak
- don’t have your head down in the sand
Ya gotta be wise, harmless,
ya gott be wise harmless…
8/12/26
Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 8/12
Am I so anxious about tomorrow or next week
that I miss the help the Lord offers me today?
Am I having a hard time "keeping it in today?"
The Lord's with me right now,
in this very moment, while I'm on line...
Help me just today, Lord:
that's what I really need....
8/11/26
8/10/26
Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 8/11
NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 8/10
Go gently, go lightly,
go safe in the Spirit,
live simply, don’t carry
much more than you need:
go trusting God’s goodness,
go spreading God’s kindness,
stay centered on Jesus
and where he will lead.
Go singing, go bringing
the gifts of the Spirit,
go hopefully searching
for things that are true:
in living, in loving,
whatever befalls you,
God keep you, God bless you
in all that you do.



