Thanksgiving for a Child
Nice will be baptised when her family return to India. It will be a great celebration. In the meantime we used this prayer and action to give thanks for her life.
Thanksgiving for Nice
Let us pray:
This child has been born
grown for a single cell
dividing and dividing
atom, molecule and gene
following the pattern of ages
growing in the mystery
that leads to life
no longer cells
no longer part of her mother
life able to live alone
life given by God
life to live for God.
We thank you God for this child
surprise and wonder
hope for a future
burden of love for her parents
pride of her family
sign of the mystery of life. Amen
The Blessing:
(The elder holds the baby on the ground.)
Little child.
We hold you close to the earth.
May you be grounded and wise.
May you always remember you are of the earth
from earth, and returning to earth
child of the planet
hope for our future.
(The elder holds the baby high to the sky.)
Little child
we lift you to the sky.
May you be filled with dreams and wonder.
May you always seek a vision
for the best that may be made of life
for the love of all people
child of love
and hope for our future.
(The elder carries the child to the Communion Table, which is dressed for Communion later in the service.)
Little child
we carry you to the table.
May you discover the mystery of life
and find the power of God
filling the plain and ordinary things
upon which we build our lives.
May you live as a child of God
discovering the hope.
(The elder places the baby into the arms of her mother. She is carried from Mother to Father, held among the children, and finally placed in the arms of an elderly great grand mum who was seated among us.)
Little child
we pass you among the people.
Be held with the love of your mother
Know the love of your father
Be wonder and joy to the young
Be hope and remembrance to we who are old.
May our love enfold you
and show you the love of God.
May our touch comfort you
and teach you the love of God
May our hope inspire you
and fill your heart with hunger
seeking the love of God.
May it be so. Amen and Amen.
Andrew Prior
