This Sunday's prayer for our students

Father, we acknowledge that we often forget what really matters in this life.  We know that what is most important is that we are living in relationship with you and being made more like Jesus.  We acknowledge that compared with this nothing else matters.

Father, we know that you can form character in us both through achievements and disappointments.  We know that disappointments can be used to keep us from becoming proud and conceited.  We know that achievements can be a just return for hard work.  We place our academic achievements in you hands, ask you to help us work hard and plead with you to give us the grades that you think would shape us best.

Father, we pray for those of us doing the leaving certificate knowing that these grades will open and close doors with regards to career paths.  Please guide our futures through these exams.

Father, help our parents.  Help them neither tolerate laziness nor idolise achievements.  Help them not be arrogant about our successes or harsh about our disappointments.  Remind them of their role in teaching us how to live in relationship with you.  Help them not to compare us with other people's children, whether positively or negatively.

Father, help us not to worry about the next few weeks.  Help us to trust you and know that our future is in your hands.  Help us remember the person and life of Jesus, who diligently learned a trade but who had no academic achievements to his name, and allow us to model his humility.