Issue # 22

Prayers for Singles

A wonderful women gave me a tiny booklet entitled Prayers for Singles.  At first I thought it would be filled with prayers asking for someone else to fill the supposed void in our (the single person's) life.  Had that been the case, I would not be sharing this with you.  Instead, what I read was that the author, Father William Rabior, was not "lacking understanding of what single people experience.  As a priest, I too, am single."  That was enough to get me to turn to the next page, and then to the next.

I am going to share the entire first prayer verbatim - it is entitled Lord, Bless Us Singles:

    Lord Jesus, we are such a diverse group, we singles.  We come from all walks of life both by choice and by chance.  Some of us have never married; some are divorced, separated, or widowed.  We live alone; we live with people dependent upon us for their care. 
     We are career people with exciting jobs, people  with very ordinary jobs, unemployed.  Our educational levels and our interests are as varied as we are.  And yet, we all have one thing in common: we are alone - alone with our responsibilities in times of decision making, in crisis situations, in special times.
     In a world of "twos" we are "ones".
     It's so easy to feel like a half and not a whole.  It's so easy to feel left out and over-looked.
     Sometimes, Lord, it seems that even our religion hardly bothers or acknowledge or affirm us.
     Yet, in our singleness there lies a strength which should not be overlooked.  In our lack of "two-ness" can come a sense of "one-ness" from our union with you.  We can focus on you, Lord, because our life makes you so accessible.  You understand us and our needs so very well since you, too, were a single person here on earth.
     Lord Jesus, I ask your blessing now not just on myself but on all single people everywhere.  Most of them are unknown to me, but they are my brothers and sisters.  We share a common bond.
     May we learn to focus upon the good we can do.  May we come to realize a fullness of life - a sense of well-being, self-love, and inner peace.
     Thank you, Lord, for being aware of me just as I am- a single person.  And thank you so much for the great love you have for me. Amen.