A mother’s prayer for her children

O God, Creator of all things!

Adding mercy upon mercy, Thou hast deemed me worthy of being a mother; Thy goodness hath endowed me with children so that I may say: these are Thy children! For Thou hast given them life, breathed an immortal soul into them, given them a new birth in a life that is according to Thy will, Thou hast adopted them and received them into the bosom of Thy Church.

O Lord, preserve them in Thy grace, and until the end of their lives deem them worthy of receiving the Holy Mysteries of Thy covenant.

Illumine them with Thy truth.

Let Thy Name be holy in them and through them.

Help me by Thy grace to rear them for the glory of Thy Name and for the benefit of their neighbor.

Give me strength and patience to do this, O Lord, and guide me.

Teach me to plant in their hearts the root of true wisdom – Thy fear.

Endow them with the light of Thy wisdom which governs all things.

Let them learn to love Thee with all their souls and all their thoughts.

Let them cleave unto Thee with all their heart and fear Thy words for as long as they live.

Endow me with the reason to implant in them the conviction that true life consists of respecting Thy commandments, that labor fortified with piety offers all that is needed in this life and unutterable blessedness in eternity.

Reveal to them the understanding of Thy law.

Unto the end of their days let them labor feeling Thy omnipresence at all times.

Embed in their hearts hatred towards all unlawfulness.

Let them be faultless in Thy ways.

Let them always know that Thou, o All-Merciful God, are zealous in Thy laws and justice.

Preserve them in chastity and trembling before Thy Name, that they may not shame Thy Church by their behavior, but that they should live according to Her commandments.

Give them zeal in their desire for useful learning and enable them to do every good deed.

Let them acquire a proper understanding of things needed for their everyday life, illumine them with the knowledge of things beneficial for the human race.

O Lord, teach me to implant with a permanent seal in their hearts and minds the wisdom to flee from friendship with those who live not in fear of Thee, wisdom to decisively turn away from every relationship with the lawless.

That they may not listen to evil talk.

That they heed not imprudent people.

That, led by evil examples, they stray not from Thy path.

That they not be discouraged in that sometimes, in this world, the way of  the lawless is crowned with success.

O Heavenly Father!

Help me by Thy grace to be watchful at all times that I may not scandalize my children with my actions, but that I may, ever bearing in mind their behavior, dissuade them from misconceptions, correct their errors, restrain their stubbornness and self-will.

That they may not gravitate toward pride and reckless deeds.

That they may not be carried away by mindless thoughts.

That they do not follow their desires.

That pride does not infect their thoughts.

That they not forget Thee and Thy law.

That lawlessness does not destroy their minds and health.

That sins do not make feeble their spiritual and bodily strength.

O righteous Judge, Thou who chastiseth offspring unto the third and fourth generation for the sins of their fathers, avert such vengeance from my children, punish them not for my sins, but sprinkle them with the dew of Thy grace, that they may advance in virtue and holiness, that they may grow in Thy benevolence and in the love of pious men.

O Father, plentious in mercy!

According to my motherly feelings I would that my children enjoy an abundance of earthly treasures, I desire that they be blessed by the dew in the heavens and by the good things of the earth, still, let Thy holy will be with them!

Administer their destiny according as Thou pleasest.

Deprive them not of their daily bread.

Endow them with time sufficient for the acquisition of blessed eternity.

Be merciful unto them, when they sin before Thee.

Judge them not for the sins of youth and ignorance.

Make contrite their hearts should they oppose the leading hand of Thy goodness.

Chastise them and caress them, direct them on the path that is pleasing to Thee, but turn not Thy face away from them.

Accept with gracious mind their prayers, and grant them success in every good deed.

Turn not away from them in times of sadness, lest they be beset by temptations that surpass their strength.

Let the shadow of thy Grace fall upon them, let Thy angel walk with them and keep them from all calamities and evil ways.

O All-merciful God!

Make me a mother who rejoices in her children, let them be my happiness in all the days of my life and my support in my old age.

Deem me worthy to stand with them before Thee on the day of Thy dread judgement and with unworthy courage say: “Here I am and my children which Thou hast given me, O Lord!”

That together with my children I may glorify Thy unspeakable goodness and Thy eternal love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Source:http://www.sv-luka.org/prayers/motherchildren.htm

Source: http://www.sv-luka.org/

Source: http://www.gamesmuseum.uwaterloo.ca/VirtualExhibits/Brueghel/aboutpaint.html