Prayer of Thanksgiving for Our Saints in Heaven and on Earth by Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

 

Left: my mother Bridie and my aunt Molly

my Dad: Jack

Today, as we celebrate the Communion of Saints, I remember with a grateful heart the people who have loved me into who I am. Some are now in heaven, and others are still walking beside me. Each has touched my life in ways that words can hardly express.

We carry their love with us. Sometimes a memory or an unexpected smile makes us feel their presence again.

And I think of you, my dear friends. You are saints-in-the-making, and I am thankful for your kindness, courage, laughter, and love.

Let us remember someone we love who has died, and someone whose love we are grateful for today.

Pause for quiet remembrance.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Beloved God, Holy One of our hearts,

Thank you for the people who have loved us and shared their lives with us.

Thank you for the saints we have come to know and love: Mary Magdalene, who proclaimed the risen Christ; Mary, the mother of Jesus, who trusted your Spirit; Brigid of Kildare, who welcomed all to her table; and the many holy women and men who show us how love can change the world.

Today, we especially thank you for our own dear saints in heaven—our mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, beloved partners, relatives, and friends.

Oh, how we miss them sometimes!

We miss their voices, their hugs, their laughter, the little things they said and did that made us feel loved.

Thank you for the memories of their kindness and the joy we shared. When we ache to be with them again, comfort us. Help us trust that they live forever in you and that their love is still with us.

And thank you, dear God, for the saints who are right here with us — saints-in-the-making.

For the friend who calls when we need encouragement, the person who listens without judging, the neighbor who helps, and the loved one whose smile makes us smile too.

Thank you to those who stand with us when life is difficult, make us laugh when we need it most, and love us just as we are.

Help us recognize your presence in one another.

When we feel we have little to offer, remind us that we, too, are saints-in-the-making. Help us speak kindly, forgive, stand up for justice, and show our love. These are ways we bring heaven to earth.

Beloved God, I picture us, together with our loved ones in heaven and those on earth, all held in your love.

No one is missing from your heart. No one is forgotten. No one is beyond the reach of your love.

May we feel close to those who have gone before us, treasure those who share our lives today, and never miss an opportunity to say to someone, "I love you."

Thank you, Holy One, for this Communion of Saints. Thank you for those who have loved us, for those who care for us now, and for your love that always holds us.

May we be a little piece of heaven for one another, today and every day.

Amen.