One: Like a mother eagle teaching her young to fly,
You push us to stretch our wings and risk falling,
yet You do not abandon us but lift us up,
protecting us from evil.
All: We thank You, mothering God.
One: Like a mother bear, furious when her cubs are in danger,
You bring justice on those who oppress the young.
All: We thank You, mothering God.
One: Your Spirit comforts us as one whom a mother comforts.
All: We thank You, mothering God.
One: Holy Spirit, You are everywhere the Lord and Giver of life.
We praise You for the gift of mothers
through whom You give us life.
All: We thank You for their willingness to nurture life,
for their trust in You to guide them
through the labor of childbirth,
the uncertainties of youth,
the letting go of young adulthood.
One: We thank You for all those women,
who did not give us birth,
but through whom You give us abundant life:
All: We thank You for school teachers, aunts, grandmothers,
sisters, pastors, elders, Sunday School teachers,
supervisors, and friends who share wisdom.
One: We ask Your tender mercies on all those
whose mothers now sing with the heavenly chorus,
for those whose tears are not yet dry.
All: Grant them Your peace, which passes understanding.
One: We ask Your comforting presence on those mothers
who have buried sons and daughters.
All: Grant them the grace to trust their loved ones
to Your never-ending care.
One: We pray for those who are alienated from their mothers
by harsh words, distance, misunderstanding.
All: Grant them Your grace to forgive and to love again.
One: We pray for mothers whose children met a violent death.
All: Deliver them from anguish.
One: We pray for mothers who work but cannot earn enough
feed and clothe and educate their children.
All: Wake us to our responsibility for common welfare.
One: We pray for mothers who are dying of AIDS
and other diseases for which we know no cure.
All: Raise up among us caregivers for their children
and expand our compassion.
One: We pray for mothers who are guardians for grandchildren
whose parents are unable or unwilling to care.
All: Grant them courage and strength and patience
for the living of each day.
One: We pray for mothers whose children face limitations
of intelligence, emotional, or physical ability.
All: Deliver them from hovering;
grant them wisdom to encourage
each child’s full potential with You.
One: We pray for mothers whose sons and daughters
defend our way of life as firefighters,
officers of the law, and in the military.
All: Grant them confidence in Your presence with their children
in life, in death, in life beyond death.
One: And now with the bold confidence of beloved children,
we pray as Jesus taught his friends to pray:
All: Our Father….and all God’s people say: So be it! AMEN
—written by Trish Holland,
posted on The Presbyterian Outlook website.
For more worship resources for Mothers’ Day, click on Mothers’ Day resources in the “Labels” on the right.
