Proverbs 31:10-31, Proverbs 4:1-4, Luke 2:41-51
Almighty God, Mother of all humanity, we seek your eternal care for all who are mothers. Give them strength and patience in the most challenging yet rewarding of all careers, motherhood. Give them wisdom to teach their children the values of your realm so that they may grow in the knowledge that life is richer and fuller with faith in you. We know that motherhood is not a synonym for perfection. May we guard against such lofty expectations of one who is a mother, accepting that we all need your grace. Be with us all that we may know our need for forgiveness. Finally we thank you for our mothers and all that we have learned from them and the love that they have given us. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Almighty God, Father of all humanity, we seek your blessing on all who faithfully accept their role as fathers. Help them to live in a just and loving relationship with their children. Sustain them in the difficult task of balancing career and family. May they offer to their families the affection that is vital for growing into caring human beings. Help them to admit when they are wrong and to stand firm when they are right. Since we are all your children, O God, it is through faith that we are called to be channels of your love for one another. As we remember our fathers may we be thankful for all they have done to mold our lives, and forgiving if we believe that they have erred. In so doing we are freed to live in the light of your grace for us all. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.