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My sister teachers in a middle school in Colorado and is already back in the classroom. Here in Concord, MA school begins this year on the Thursday before Labor Day and many college students have already left home for campus. Seems it's time again, then, to post these prayers for all the back-to-schoolers and their families and teachers.
You might think of praying the Student's Prayer with your children on the first day of school. Some families pray these words every Monday morning as a new school week begins. And the Parents' Prayer? Well, I know moms and dads who pray that every day of the week!
In addition to backpacks and lunch kits, the refrigerator door makes a good home for these texts if you print them out! In my own parish we have the Student's Prayer printed as a bookmark which we distribute at weekend Masses along with a special blessing for students and school personnel beginning a new year.
At the end of the post are prayers for Parents of Students Off to College.
Grandparents, godparents and aunts and uncles: share these prayers with the ones you love...
A Student's Prayer
Dear Lord,
Help me to be the best student I can be.
Help to study well and to study often,
especially when I don't feel like studying at all.
Help me to be honest when I'm tempted to cheat.
Help me to listen to my teachers and my coaches.
Help me to play fair and to play safely.
Help me to be kind to everyone at school
and especially to those whom others treat unkindly.
Help me to treat others as I would like them to treat me.
Help me to be a good friend to others.
Help me to help others who need my help.
Help me to do the best work I can do.
Help me to use all the gifts you have given me.
Help me to love and respect my parents.
Help me to trust in you, Lord, and in your love for me.
Help me, Lord, I need you! Amen.
ConcordPastor.blogspot.com
Parents' Prayer for Students
Dear Lord,
As my children leave for school,
I pray that you will keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds
to all that is true and beautiful and good.
Help them to see the gifts and talents
you have given them and to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
and lead others be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
and help them teach what is 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
and bring them home safely at day's end. Amen.
ConcordPastor.blogspot.com
Prayer for Teachers
Dear God,
A new school day 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 in a little wisdom...
Help me remember, Lord,
how young my students are:
give me patience to help them grow up, at least a little,
and insight to know the help they need...
Help me to understand that sometimes
my students may not understand me:
may I be clear in the things I say and do,
and in how I say and do them…
These children don't know the burdens and worries
my heart may bring to the classroom,
so help me remember, Lord,
that their hearts may be anxious and heavy, too...
Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
except for those who most need my help...
Let my 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 will challenge me the most:
help me challenge them to challenge their children
to study, to learn and to grow...
Help me to teach as you teach, Lord:
make me firm when I need to be,
gentle in all things,
and patient until the last bell rings…
A new school day is about to begin, Lord:
I wonder: what will you teach me today? Amen.
ConcordPastor.blogspot.com
Many mothers and fathers are sending sons and daughters away to college. For both parents and children, this rite of passage is often moistened with tears and burdened by aching hearts. I offer you here Diana Macalintal's Empty Nester's Prayer in two versions: one for a daughter, one for a son.
A Parent’s Prayer
When A Daughter Leaves Home
Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child
and entrusted me with her care.
Now she leaves this home and begins a new life apart from me.
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 one another
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.
Diana Macalintal
A Parent’s Prayer
When A Son Leaves Home
Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child
and entrusted me with his care.
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 one another
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.
Diana Macalintal
-ConcordPastor
My sister teachers in a middle school in Colorado and is already back in the classroom. Here in Concord, MA school begins this year on the Thursday before Labor Day and many college students have already left home for campus. Seems it's time again, then, to post these prayers for all the back-to-schoolers and their families and teachers.
You might think of praying the Student's Prayer with your children on the first day of school. Some families pray these words every Monday morning as a new school week begins. And the Parents' Prayer? Well, I know moms and dads who pray that every day of the week!
In addition to backpacks and lunch kits, the refrigerator door makes a good home for these texts if you print them out! In my own parish we have the Student's Prayer printed as a bookmark which we distribute at weekend Masses along with a special blessing for students and school personnel beginning a new year.
At the end of the post are prayers for Parents of Students Off to College.
Grandparents, godparents and aunts and uncles: share these prayers with the ones you love...
A Student's Prayer
Dear Lord,
Help me to be the best student I can be.
Help to study well and to study often,
especially when I don't feel like studying at all.
Help me to be honest when I'm tempted to cheat.
Help me to listen to my teachers and my coaches.
Help me to play fair and to play safely.
Help me to be kind to everyone at school
and especially to those whom others treat unkindly.
Help me to treat others as I would like them to treat me.
Help me to be a good friend to others.
Help me to help others who need my help.
Help me to do the best work I can do.
Help me to use all the gifts you have given me.
Help me to love and respect my parents.
Help me to trust in you, Lord, and in your love for me.
Help me, Lord, I need you! Amen.
ConcordPastor.blogspot.com
Parents' Prayer for Students
Dear Lord,
As my children leave for school,
I pray that you will keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds
to all that is true and beautiful and good.
Help them to see the gifts and talents
you have given them and to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
and lead others be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
and help them teach what is 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
and bring them home safely at day's end. Amen.
ConcordPastor.blogspot.com
Prayer for Teachers
Dear God,
A new school day 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 in a little wisdom...
Help me remember, Lord,
how young my students are:
give me patience to help them grow up, at least a little,
and insight to know the help they need...
Help me to understand that sometimes
my students may not understand me:
may I be clear in the things I say and do,
and in how I say and do them…
These children don't know the burdens and worries
my heart may bring to the classroom,
so help me remember, Lord,
that their hearts may be anxious and heavy, too...
Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
except for those who most need my help...
Let my 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 will challenge me the most:
help me challenge them to challenge their children
to study, to learn and to grow...
Help me to teach as you teach, Lord:
make me firm when I need to be,
gentle in all things,
and patient until the last bell rings…
A new school day is about to begin, Lord:
I wonder: what will you teach me today? Amen.
ConcordPastor.blogspot.com
Many mothers and fathers are sending sons and daughters away to college. For both parents and children, this rite of passage is often moistened with tears and burdened by aching hearts. I offer you here Diana Macalintal's Empty Nester's Prayer in two versions: one for a daughter, one for a son.
A Parent’s Prayer
When A Daughter Leaves Home
Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child
and entrusted me with her care.
Now she leaves this home and begins a new life apart from me.
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 one another
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.
Diana Macalintal
A Parent’s Prayer
When A Son Leaves Home
Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child
and entrusted me with his care.
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 one another
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.
Diana Macalintal
-ConcordPastor
I love this commercial!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnyone with children can identify with that commercial! And those who do not have children can appreciate it. It makes me laugh every time...and my children are all grown!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite commercials....and I don't even have kids!!! LOL
ReplyDelete