A Blessing of Change
from http://gracebrunswick.org/blessings.html
What we choose changes us.
Who we love transforms us.
How we create remakes us.
Where we live reshapes us.
So in all our choosing, O God, make us wise;
In all our loving, O Christ, make us bold;
In all our creating, O Spirit, give us courage;
in all our living, may we become whole.
And the blessing of God almighty:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be upon you, and those you love,
and those for whom you pray
this day and forever more.
AMEN.
The Blessing of Grace
by The Rev. William Sloane Coffin
May God give you the grace never to sell yourself short;
Grace to risk something big for something good; and
Grace to remember the world is now
too dangerous for anything but the truth and
too small for anything but love.
A Franciscan Blessing
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may wish for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.
A Prayer for Journey
from Pathways for Pilgrims, Iona
God of journey, as we travel on
alert us to things that matter
and open our eyes to every sign of your presence.
Give us a sense of direction,
or at least a sense of purpose,
a sense of wonder,
a sense that in everything
you are walking with us step by step
gently guiding us to the heart of things.
Prayer Upon Entering Military Service
from Changes: Prayers and Services Honoring Rites of Passage, page 67
Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and on earth: Hear our prayers for _______ as they enter military service. Be present with them, their family, and their community in this transition. Guide and govern them by your good Spirit. Protect them from evil, and lead us all into your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.