Heavenly Father, I thank you for the gift of my parents. In their love and care, I see your love and care for me; in their face, I feel your compassion for me; in their strictness, your concern for me. Give them wisdom so that they may know how to translate your love, affection and care for me. Jesus, your parents had their limitations; so have mine. Help me to be patient with their limitations. Help me to honour them, notwithstanding their shortcomings.

Holy Spirit, create in me the filial spirit of Jesus so that I may always feel grateful to my parents and love them. Do not permit me ever to feel ashamed of whatever embarrassing traits they have or may yet develop. And whatever handicaps may be mine because of unfortunate circumstances in their life or because of their less enlightened upbringing of me, help me to accept them with serenity and contentment and to cope with them with courage and resourcefulness. May there always glow in my heart an undiminished gratitude for all my parents did to fulfil so well the responsibility you entrusted to them of being parents to me.

Amen