GOD OF MERCY AND GOD OF LOVE
we place our African American Families before you today.
May we be proud of our history and never forget those who paid a great price for our liberation.
Bless us one by one, and keep our hearts and minds fixed on higher ground.
Help us to live for You and not for ourselves and may we cherish and proclaim the gift of life.
Bless our parents, guardians, grandparent’s relatives and friends
Give us the amazing grace to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Help us as your children to live in such a way that the beauty and greatness
of authentic love is reflected in all that we say and do.
Give a healing anointing to those who are less fortunate, especially the motherless,
the fatherless, the homeless, the broken, the sick and the lonely.
Bless our departed family members and friends.
May they be led into the light of your dwelling place, where we will never grow old,
where we will share the fullness of redemption and shout the victory for all eternity?
This we ask in the precious name of Jesus, our Savior and Blessed Assurance.
Amen.

(Composed by Fr. James Goode, OFM,  Evangelist)