By Maria Bohan
When you ask a group of people to define the word “father,” you’ll receive many different answers. This is because it’s almost impossible to put fatherhood in a box.
In your own life, you’ve had many fathers. Your biological father, your grandfather, a family friend, or a coach may have all profoundly impacted your life.
On Father’s Day, bless the men who have raised you, guided you, and protected you with these four meaningful prayers.
A Prayer for Christian Fathers
Heavenly Father, you entrusted Jesus,
the child of Mary, to the care of Joseph, an earthly father.
Bless all fathers as they care for their families.
Give them strength and wisdom, tenderness and patience;
support them in the work they have to do,
protecting those who look to them, as we look to you for love and salvation,
through Jesus Christ our rock and defender.
Amen. (Author unknown)
A Prayer to Strengthen our Fathers
Bless those fathers, who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of parenting. Bless those who have lost a spouse to death ... or divorce who are parenting their children alone. Strengthen them by your love that they may become the loving, caring persons they are meant to be. Grant this through Christ our God. Amen! (From loveyoufather.com)
A Prayer to Show our Respect and Love
Bless these men, that they may find strength as fathers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect. Amen! (From loveyoufather.com)
A Prayer for Every Father
God Our Father,
We give you thanks and praise for fathers young and old. We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation; may they find courage and perseverance to balance work, family, and faith in joy and sacrifice. We pray for our own fathers around the world whose children are lost or suffering; may they know that the God of compassion walks with them in their sorrow. We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and advice. We remember fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love.
Amen.
(Prayer from lordcalls.com)
Maria Bohan is a Volunteer for the Communications and Development Office at the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York. She is a student at Bryn Mawr College majoring in English and a graduate of Pearl River High School.