Rosa N
Humble Servant
A Prayer for a Mother with Alzheimer's Disease
"Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding,
my entire will... Give me only your love and your grace and that is enough for me." Ignatius of Loyola
Loving God,
Please bless every mother who has Alzheimer’s disease.
She was with us children as we learned to walk.
-- Guide her uncertain steps today as her balance fails her.
She taught us to cross streets and be safe.
-- Help her not to get lost, even in her familiar surroundings.
She held us close in the terrors of the darkest nightmares.
-- May she not be frightened today by the reality of her life, which is strange and totally out of her control.
She cooked thousands of meals over decades of time.
-- Please allow her to accept the caring hand that now feeds her.
She changed diapers, Lord, and served you each time she did.
-- Please give her now the humility and grace to be served in this way.
Loving God, the familiar eyes of my mother
now respond with a blank stare.
She is barely able to carry on a conversation,
to ask about her family
or to serve in the central role she has in our family.
Help her accept the surrender of her life these days.
Open her prayerful heart and fading mind
to be aware of your presence with her,
perhaps now closer than ever.
Give us, her family, the patience, courage and acceptance
to love her as she is and to support her in her daily needs.
"Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding,
my entire will... Give me only your love and your grace and that is enough for me." Ignatius of Loyola
Loving God,
Please bless every mother who has Alzheimer’s disease.
She was with us children as we learned to walk.
-- Guide her uncertain steps today as her balance fails her.
She taught us to cross streets and be safe.
-- Help her not to get lost, even in her familiar surroundings.
She held us close in the terrors of the darkest nightmares.
-- May she not be frightened today by the reality of her life, which is strange and totally out of her control.
She cooked thousands of meals over decades of time.
-- Please allow her to accept the caring hand that now feeds her.
She changed diapers, Lord, and served you each time she did.
-- Please give her now the humility and grace to be served in this way.
Loving God, the familiar eyes of my mother
now respond with a blank stare.
She is barely able to carry on a conversation,
to ask about her family
or to serve in the central role she has in our family.
Help her accept the surrender of her life these days.
Open her prayerful heart and fading mind
to be aware of your presence with her,
perhaps now closer than ever.
Give us, her family, the patience, courage and acceptance
to love her as she is and to support her in her daily needs.
