Prayer of Commitment —“Love Protects”

God of compassion, you know each of us by name and

hold every child close to your heart. Your love is patient

and kind, not jealous or boastful, not rude or self-seeking; it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all

things and it always protects.

Today we renew our commitment to safeguarding in our

parish: to listen when someone finds the courage to

speak, to act without delay when there is a concern, to

tell the truth even when it costs us, to never to confuse

mercy with silence, and to reach out in practical care to

those most easily overlooked - the children, the new-comer,

the housebound, the elderly, the person living

alone, the person with a disability, and anyone made

vulnerable by their circumstances.

Give us Sirach’s wisdom to set aside the pride that hides

wrongdoing, Christ’s compassion that goes out to the

wounded first, Paul’s vision of a love that always protects, and the Psalmist’s confidence that you, O Lord,

redeem what is broken and crown the humble with kindness.

May this parish be a true sanctuary, safe for the smallest

among us, attentive to the most vulnerable, honest with

the truth, and faithful to the God whose love always protects.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.