A prayer for families

Interfaith Prayer
Festival of the Family
May 12-14, 2000

God of all Living and Loving:
How pleasant it is when women, men, and children live together in unity!
How noble is your creation and the world that you have made!
How blessed we are to receive the gifts of life and love!

We are thankful for families,
where scattered piles of stuff testify that we live fully in the moment;
where the noise of laughter and the silence of sadness are freely shared;

We are thankful for families,
where we find sanctuary from danger and judgment;
where words of love and openness are the rule of life.

We are thankful for families,
where our differences are the spices of life;
where our unity is something that we can always take for granted.

We grieve for families,
where violence and rejection are living realities;
where hearts are broken, and dreams are shattered.

We grieve for families,
where walls of protection become fortresses of isolation,
where language is a weapon of destruction and hate.

Help us to understand,
those families whose identities are different from ours;
the ways of loving, parenting, partnering and working together for
peace.

Help us to dare,
to stand strongly against hate and divisiveness;
to encounter our differences with love and respect.

This we believe:
that love is stronger than hate;
that hope is stronger than despair,
and that good is stronger than evil.
In the name of the One who is Loving and Living, Amen

Found on the net at http://www.homiliesbyemail.com/Special/Mothers/motherresources.html