Mother’s Day

[public domain]

Song of the Angels, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1881

Prayer to the Mother of the Lord
for All Mothers

Mary, on this day when we honor all mothers,
we turn to you.
We thank the Lord whom you serve
for the great gift of motherhood.
Never has it been known that anyone
who sought your intercession was left unaided by grace.
Dear Mother, thank you for your “Yes”
to the invitation of the angel
which brought heaven to earth and changed human history.
You opened yourself to God’s word
and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Dear mother, intercede for all of our mothers.
Ask your Divine Son to give them the grace
of surrendered love so that they could join with you
in giving their own “Fiat.”
May they find daily strength to say yes
to the call to the sacrificial love
– the very heart of the vocation of motherhood.
May their love and witness be a source of great inspiration
for all of us called to follow your Son.

On this Mothers day,
Mother of the Word Incarnate,
pray for us who have recourse to you…

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Prayer for Every Need of Motherhood

[public domain]

The Virgin with Angels, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1900

Prayer for Every Need of Motherhood

Cherished Virgin, heaven’s queen,
Chosen before all women to be the mother of
The Son of God, Mary, my mother,
Who in your maternity so sanctified the state
Of holy motherhood,
Imploringly I come to you;
Humbly I beseech you;
Confidently I trust in you.
I know that, by your powerful intercession,
You can help me in my need.
In you I take refuge, dear Virgin,
Poor and needy, I turn devoutly to you
And place confidently in your hands.
Accept my humble trust, hear my petitions,
And come to my aid, dear Mother of Mothers.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
Be it done to me according to your word!

(From the book Mothers’ Manual,
by A. Francis Coomes, S.J.)

National Day of Prayer

[public domain]

A Prayer for World Peace
(1978)

Lord, we pray for the power to be gentle;
the strength to be forgiving;
the patience to be understanding;
and the endurance to accept the consequences
of holding to what we believe to be right.

May we put our trust in
the power of good to overcome evil
and the power of love to overcome hatred.

We pray for the vision to see
and the faith to believe
in a world emancipated from violence,
a new world where fear shall
no longer lead men to commit injustice,
nor selfishness make them bring suffering to others.

Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy
to the task of making peace,
praying always for the inspiration
and the power to fulfill the destiny
for which we and all men were created.
Amen.