Prayer For Generosity
Lord, You are a generous God. You gave far beyond what we could ever have imagined or asked for in giving us Your Son. You gave the ultimate gift and it cost You dearly. And yet, far too often, we hold back. We keep a tight grip on the resources and the time You've given us. Too often, we hold back ourselves when You are calling us to give ourselves away. Forgive us, Lord, and teach us to loosen our grip. Teach us to give freely, remembering that all we have comes from You.
Holy Father, there is nothing we have that You have not given us.
All we have and all we are belong to You, bought with the blood of Jesus.
To spend selfishly and to give without sacrifice
is the way of the world,
but generosity is the way of those who call Christ their Lord.
So, help us to increase in generosity
until it can be said that there is no needy person among us.
Help us to be trustworthy with such a little thing as money
that You may trust us with true riches.
Above all, help us to be generous
because You, Father, are generous.
May we show what You are like to all the world.
O gracious God,
who generously lavishes our lives with goodness,
create in our hearts a deep center of gratitude,
a center that grows so strong in its thanksgiving
that sharing freely of our treasures becomes the pattern of our existence.
Remind us often of how much you cherish us,
of how abundantly you have offered gifts to us,
especially in the hours of our greatest need.
May we always be grateful for your reaching into our lives
with surprises of joy, growth and unconditional love.
Amen.
Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous;
teach me to be generous with my time, especially when it's running low;
teach me to be generous with my patience, especially when it's running thin;
teach me to be generous with my praise, especially when I'm feeling judgmental.
Lord Jesus, teach me to serve you as you deserve,
teach me to serve you as my students deserve;
teach me to serve you as my co-workers deserve;
teach me to serve you as my community deserves.
to give and not to count the cost,
even though it's the last period of the week;
even though it's the fifth meeting today;
even though it's my 15th call from a parent.
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
the wounds to my health;
the wounds to my social life;
the wounds to my pride.
to toil and not to seek for rest,
even when I haven't seen my family all week;
even when that last student is waiting at the dance;
even when I feel like I can't go on.
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
not even another free period;
not even the teacher of the year award;
not even a bigger paycheck.
but that of knowing that I do your will.
Amen.
"I thank you for giving
me another day to live,
to love, and to learn.
Help me see your face
in everyone I meet today,
so that I will treat people
with the same respect I have
for you, O Lord.
Amen."
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.
Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to seek reward,
except that of knowing that I do your will.
Amen.
Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.