Respect

Spirit of Prudence,

            Your discerning love for all people

            holds the universe in balance.

Expand our hearts beyond ourselves

            to the joy of knowing and serving others.

Bless us with the virtue of respect

            now and forever.

Amen

God of Wisdom,

            Your Golden Rule calls us to do unto others

            as we wish them to do to us.

Why do we so easily forget to put ourselves

            in the shoes of another person?

Help us to be sensitive to others,

            respecting who they are,

            and listening to another point of view.

This we ask in Your holy name.

Amen.

In the beginning God created all things

            and called them good.

In the image and likeness of God we were created.

God of all wonders,

You prepared a garden,

            blest it and called it holy.

Touch our hearts with respect for all created things

            from the smallest ant to the magnificent elephant.

Give us eyes to see and ears to hear

            Your message all around us in nature.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

God, ever attentive to details,

            You fashioned each creature uniquely.

What an imagination You have!

Increase our sensitivity to the beauty

            and individuality of each person.

Help us to foster the value of respect

            especially for the people

            we live and work with everyday.

We ask this in the name of the Father,

            and of the Son,

            and of the Holy Spirit,

            one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.