Family Prayers Before the Day of Dedication
January 6-12, 2025
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Family Prayers Before the Day of Dedication
January 6-12, 2025
Download Links:
I. Introduction
II. Preparations for the Day of Dedication
Notes:
Ideally, these preparations and reflections are done the week prior to the Day of Dedication.
In case the family is unable to do or complete the prayer & sharing before the Day of Dedication the family may continue to do so on the week following the Day of Dedication
It is encouraged that JYAs and YAs participate in these preparations.
For our YPs/singles, please use the separate “supplemental prayers for YPs”.
The following were reprinted from the January 1993 Issue of Kasunduan (with some revisions)
Our children are not just our children. They are the Lord’s before they are ours. The Lord loves them more than we do. His plans for them are surely better than ours. The best way we can raise them up is to see to it first that they know and love God. If they are in God’s hands, what have we to fear?
It is central in our mission as the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon to raise our children according to God’s intentions and to the pattern and way of life that the Lord has given us.
To highlight the importance of this task for our community and more so, for the parents in community, we have set aside a day of dedication of all our children in an annual liturgical celebration.
We can look at the Day of Dedication as special in many ways.
For the Parents:
A Time of Thanksgiving – In this event, parents express their gratitude to the Lord for the blessing of having their children (Psalm 127:3-5; Psalm 128)
Acknowledgement of Parental Mission – Parents will consciously and verbally acknowledge in the presence of the entire community their God–given responsibility and authority to raise their children up in the ways of the Lord.
Time of Dedication – The parents will make a prayer of offering or dedication of their children to the Lord. They will ask Him to use them for His service and purposes, in any way He wants, for any task He may have for each of them. This is a special occasion to entrust the future of their children into the hands of the Lord.
For the Children:
Acknowledgment of their Precious Heritage – The children will be made aware of the great gifts and blessings that God has given them through their parents – their rich Christian heritage and our way of life in community
Receiving a Blessing – As their parents dedicate them to the Lord, the children will receive a special blessing from their parents and from the entire community.
Response of Thanks – The children will have a chance to actually respond to their parents’ initiative to dedicate them to the Lord.
For our Singles and Young Professionals:
Acknowledgment of their partnership in the mission – That our single young professionals, who find themselves in the prime of their careers and face various decision points regarding their time, talents, and treasure, may understand their distinct role in community life to spread the Gospel, evangelize, and help in the formation of our children.
Receiving a blessing – As the community dedicates our young children to the Lord, that our YPs/singles may receive a special blessing from the community to encourage them.
Response of thanks – To allow our singles and YPs to respond in gratitude.
In preparation for the Day of Dedication:
Families in community (especially those with infant, FOJ, JYA, YA and UD children in their household) are encouraged to gather together for an hour and follow these suggested activities.
The singles and YPs as well as couples who have no children may join them in spirit through praying for the families during the entire week as well as in praying over the youth of our FOJ, JYA, YA and University District during the Day of Dedication.
III. Family Prayer & Sharing
January 6, 2025 (Monday)
Theme: “Our family is blessed”/ YPs: “The Lord is merciful and gracious.”
Text for Reflection: Psalm 128 / YPs: Psalm 103:1-8
Time for Personal Sharing
Intercession/ Action:
Gratitude for each family member
Acceptance & expressions of love for each member of the family
Closing Prayer for YPs: Lord, we are grateful that You have called us to a relationship with you, and to a life of discipleship, community and mission as young professionals. We ask that you grant us the grace to be faithful. And in the face of many choices before us, grant us the courage and the boldness to always choose you. May you empower us to bring You and Your light always to our workplaces, and to all places that you will bring us. We entrust ourselves to you and recommit our lives to you. Amen.
January 7, 2025 (Tuesday)
Theme: “God First: Our Family’s Ideal”/ YPs: “God’s plans are for our good.”
Text for Reflection: Deut 6:1-9, 24-25 / YPs: Jeremiah 29:11-13
Time for Personal Sharing
Intercession/ Action:
That each family member may know the Lord personally
Things we can do to make the Lord first in our life (as a family or as a single person)
Closing Prayer for YPs: Lord, we are grateful that You have called us to a relationship with you, and to a life of discipleship, community and mission as young professionals. We ask that you grant us the grace to be faithful. And in the face of many choices before us, grant us the courage and the boldness to always choose you. May you empower us to bring You and Your light always to our workplaces, and to all places that you will bring us. We entrust ourselves to you and recommit our lives to you. Amen.
January 8, 2025 (Wednesday)
Theme: “We shall serve the Lord”/ YPs: “Trust, love, and obey God”
Text for Reflection: Joshua 24:13-28/ YPs: John 14:1, 15-21
“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15b)
Time for Personal Sharing
Intercession/ Action:
That the family will have the spirit of generosity to serve the Lord
That the family may capture the same vision as a Christian and a Ligaya family
Closing Prayer for YPs: Lord, we are grateful that You have called us to a relationship with you, and to a life of discipleship, community and mission as young professionals. We ask that you grant us the grace to be faithful. And in the face of many choices before us, grant us the courage and the boldness to always choose you. May you empower us to bring You and Your light always to our workplaces, and to all places that you will bring us. We entrust ourselves to you and recommit our lives to you. Amen.
January 9, 2025 (Thursday)
Theme: “Our Way of Life: Kindness, Faithfulness and Truth” / YPs: The Conditions for Discipleship
Text for Reflection: Proverbs 3:1-12/ YPs: Matthew 16:24-26
Time for Personal Sharing
Intercession/ Action:
That we may outdo one another in showing kindness and love
That we may be faithful to the Lord even in small things
That we may trust in the Lord at all times
Closing Prayer for YPs: Lord, we are grateful that You have called us to a relationship with you, and to a life of discipleship, community and mission as young professionals. We ask that you grant us the grace to be faithful. And in the face of many choices before us, grant us the courage and the boldness to always choose you. May you empower us to bring You and Your light always to our workplaces, and to all places that you will bring us. We entrust ourselves to you and recommit our lives to you. Amen.
January 10, 2025 (Friday)
Theme: “The Lord: Our Family’s strength.”/ YPs: Total self-offering to God
Text for Reflection: Eph 6:1-4, 10-18 / YPs: Romans 12:1-2
Time for Personal Sharing
Intercession/ Action:
Pray for grace to be obedient
Pray for grace to be consistent in doing Christian parenting
Pray for grace to be united as a family
Closing Prayer for YPs: Lord, we are grateful that You have called us to a relationship with you, and to a life of discipleship, community and mission as young professionals. We ask that you grant us the grace to be faithful. And in the face of many choices before us, grant us the courage and the boldness to always choose you. May you empower us to bring You and Your light always to our workplaces, and to all places that you will bring us. We entrust ourselves to you and recommit our lives to you. Amen.
January 11, 2025 (Saturday, Opening of the Lord’s Day)
Suggested Activities after the Lord’s Day Meals
After the Lord’s Day meal, your family may want to do some relationship-building activities to foster a stronger bond with one another and to create a more joyful spirit in your home. A few suggested family activities such as: Recalling last year’s blessings - Each member of the family shares his / her greatest blessings received last year.
Thank the Lord individually and as a family.
Prayer for Dedication of Children
This is to be prayed during the family Lord’s Day Celebration on Saturday.
Instructions to parents: Pray over your children all together.
After the prayer, fathers and mothers, sign each child on the forehead with the cross as a symbol of their being dedicated to the Lord. After which, parents embrace and kisses each child.
Prayer for Dedication of Children
(NAME OF CHILD), YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, HIS SPECIAL GIFT TO US.
YOU HAVE BEEN CREATED BY GOD FOR A SPECIAL PURPOSE.
OUR LORD DELIGHTS IN WHO YOU ARE.
HE GAVE YOU GIFTS, RICH POTENTIALS AND MANY BLESSINGS,
SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FULFILL HIS PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE.
WE, YOUR PARENTS, LOVE YOU AND WE COMMIT OUR SELVES TO YOUR GOOD,
TO NURTURE AND HELP YOU PURSUE THE WILL OF GOD.
MAY YOU COME TO KNOW THE LORD’S PERSONAL LOVE FOR YOU
MAY YOU ALWAYS WALK IN HIS WAY, FOLLOWING HIS COMMANDMENTS.
MAY YOU GROW UP LOVING GOD’S WORD AND DRAWN TO PRAYER.
MAY THE LORD GRANT YOU GOOD HEALTH, A SOUND MIND,
AND A JOYFUL AND THANKFUL DISPOSITION BEFITTING A SON/DAUGHTER OF GOD.
MAY YOU GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS
IN THE ANG LIGAYA NG PANGINOON COMMUNITY, WHO WILL JOURNEY
WITH YOU IN FAITH AND SUPPORT YOU WITH THEIR LOVE.
THIS WE ASK THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD, AMEN.
Prayer for our YPs
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR YPS. MAY YOU CONTINUE THE WORK YOU HAVE BEGUN IN THEM. GRANT THEM THE GRACE TO GROW IN THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU – SEEKING YOU IN LIVES OF DAILY PRAYER, MEDITATING ON YOUR WORD, AND LIVING LIVES OF HOLINESS.
PROTECT THEM, SUSTAIN THEM, AND EMPOWER THEM – THAT THEY MAY FAITHFULLY GIVE MORE OF THEMSELVES TO YOU – OFFERING THEIR TIME, THEIR TALENT, THEIR TREASURE – TO ADVANCE YOUR KINGDOM HERE ON EARTH. MAY YOU GRANT THEM WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT, AS THEY MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS IN THEIR LIFE. MAY YOU LEAD THEM WHERE THEY CAN BEST LOVE AND SERVE YOU; MAY YOU PROSPER THE WORK OF THEIR HANDS AND ALLOW THEM TO EXPERIENCE FULLNESS OF LIFE IN YOU.
LET THEM EXPERIENCE YOUR LOVING PRESENCE EACH DAY. ALWAYS FILL THEIR HEARTS WITH HOPE, WITH PEACE, WITH JOY, AND WITH LOVE. AMEN.