Mother of our Children

This is a very precious photo sent to me by friends from the USA. It shows twin boys Emrys on the left, and Henning on the right approaching the yellow flowers and the statue of the Blessed Mother situated at the church of St Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho. It speaks to me about the innocence of children and how the Blessed Mother can protect them as they grow up, from infancy to adulthood. Reflecting on this photo, I share with you this prayer as we approach the feast of the Assumption.

Most Blessed Virgin Mary, we ask for your protection on all of our children and young people. You who raised Jesus with such love and affection, we implore you to do the same with our precious children. Help the unborn and inspire their mothers to continue bravely with their pregnancy, in spite of pressures to terminate. Keep all our children safe in parks, pools, schoolyards, neighborhood streets and wherever they gather to play. Encourage them to focus on their school work and pay attention at class, while doing the work and projects assigned to them. Remind them always to be respectful of their parents, especially as the turbulent teenage years approach, and may they continue to communicate with each other, not simply through texting and Facebook, but through the simple method we all grew up with, talking face-to-face, and listening to each other constructively. We realize that as they grow up, they somehow lose their sweetness and joyful spirit, but do not let them lose their closeness and affinity to their parents, siblings and families. Blessed Mother, bless the spontaneity and innocence of our children, and as you accept a simple flower from our two boys in this photo, accept also their hopes and dreams, their plans and projects for the future. We ask this prayer through Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.