I was asked by my principal to do the prayer for the first of our teacher meetings this week. She requested that it be connected to the theme for the school year, which happens to be an emphasis on the school’s mission statement. Fortunately we have a very good mission statement. In fact, the mission statement can easily be made a prayer with a slight rewording. I borrowed most of it for the third sentence in the second paragraph after the poem. Thank you Holy Spirit for helping me to write this.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of Man,
Help us this morning to pray like You, out of a sense of abundance, these words of your servant, St. John of the Cross, that seem so fitting for why we are here as a school community:
The flame of love
Grows as it is divided
It increases by being shared
From one, then two, then three
And darkness is transformed into glory
And the walls reflect its light
Share your flame!
Share the flame!The Sisters of Mercy named this school after your mother to honor You. She was the first to say “yes” to sharing the Flame, to sharing You with the world.
The most important people in the world walk through our classroom doors. Help us to share the Flame, to share You, with them. Make us a deep faith community so that we may serve our students and their families with mercy and compassion.
We are in the learning business. Open us up to grace, the divine stimulus plan, so that we may create a profit for You.
It is all about You, Jesus.
We pray in Your most holy name. Amen.