Ignatian Prayer for Parents

 

Build us sons, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when they are weak and brave enough to face themselves when they are afraid; sons who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build us sons whose wishbones will not be where there backbones should be; sons who will know Thee – and that know themselves is the foundation stone of knowledge.  Lead them, we pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.  Here let them learn compassion for those who fail.

Build us sons whose hearts will be clear, whose goals will be high; sons who will master themselves before they will seek to master others; sons who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; sons who will reach into the future yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are theirs, add, we pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that they may always be serious, yet never take themselves too seriously.  Give them humility, so that they may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.