Seven-Day Practical Faith Blog: A Non-traditional Prayer

I recently came across a prayer that broke me. The official title of the prayer is “A Non-traditional Blessing,” written for a student group in 1985 by Benedictine nun Sister Ruth Marlene Fox.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you can live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world so that you are able, with God's grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

And the blessing of God, the supreme majesty and our creator, Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word who is our brother and savior, and the Holy Spirit, our advocate and guide, be with you and remain with you this day and forevermore. Amen.

I don't pray for myself or others to experience discomfort, anger, tears, and foolishness. I pray for comfort, peace, joy, and wisdom.

But as Jesus followers, we recognize that Jesus was a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3, NIV). His sorrow and grief were not for himself, but for those who suffer. So, Jesus himself experienced discomfort, anger, tears, and accusations of foolishness.

If we are to live a seven-day practical faith and become more like Jesus, we must also seek discomfort, anger, tears, and foolishness, and then do something about their sources. Let us go out and make a difference in the world in Christ's name.

I'm talking to multiple churches about speaking engagements in 2026. Yes, I'll come to your church or organization and speak on living out our faith, or parenting, or marriage, or a custom topic. Please check out the Speaking page on CecilTaylorMinistries. com for more information.