Here’s
a prayer of intercession for Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday (4th
Sunday in Lent). It was written by Rev
Margaret Whyte and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website.
Prayer of
Intercession: Mother’s Day
Loving
God, you who are both Mother and father to us, in this time of prayer we thank
you for your love. We thank you for Jesus who taught us of your
all-encompassing parents’ love; the love that waits with anxiety for us to
return home; the love that also runs down the road to gather us in your arms;
the love that searches until we are found; that loved us so much you sent us
Jesus.
We
thank you that we are your children, called by name, called even before we were
formed in our mother’s womb, called into your world-wide family, where there is
such diversity, such individuality, such creativity, such beauty.
We
ask that rejoicing in the diversity of humankind, we might always love as Jesus
loved us; that we might always appreciate others of different faith and
cultures, asking pardon for the times when we have failed you in love.
Remembering
the world wide family we are so much part of, we pray for places around the world…
We
give you thanks for our own families, remembering especially our own mothers or
those who stood in her place who took care of us, who met our needs, not only
nurturing our bodies, but also in love and security. For the love of those who
are still with us and for the love that is in your nearer presence we give you
thanks.
And
knowing the imperfect nature of human kind, where there may a need of
forgiveness that you would forgive and help us to forgive.
For
mothers at the start of the adventure of motherhood that you will give them all
they need.
For
mothers who are stretched in patience and love, who find things hard, with too
much to do and not enough time to it, with babies who don’t sleep, or children
with special gifts, running out of energy and patience.
For
mothers whose children do not have clean water, or enough food to eat, or
proper medication;
For
mothers experiencing miscarriage or babies still born, or those unable to have
children, that their motherly natures would be used in nurturing others.
Loving
God, in You we find life, health, and strength. Through Your gifts we have
everything we need and so we bring our offerings to you. Take them and use them
and use our all our good intentions for the growth of your kingdom on earth. In
Jesus’ name, Amen.
~ written by Rev Margaret Whyte and posted on the
Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday
website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/
