Retirement Prayer

Today two colleagues retired and it brought to mind this retirement prayer, with benediction, that I wrote about fifteen years ago.

Retirement Prayer

 Our Father and God who art in heaven,

We are gathered here today acknowledging the service of the ……………. family to the United States of America. As we ought in all things, we first want to acknowledge You and Your Providence in providing life, health, desire, and the abilities within us to enable us to do all things; for without You we can do nothing.

God, as you have taught us by example when you rested from Your creation work on the seventh day of Earth, we know that there must come a day when we must rest from the work we have been doing. Today is such a day for ………………. But You also have shown us that, though Your rested from creation, You are still at work in our lives and in many other areas. So, too, must we continue in our after-service life.

We pray that the ………. family might be able to use their past experiences, successes, and yes, even their failures as a springboard to their future life. And I pray lastly, in the words of St. Augustine, not only for the ………….. family, but also for all gathered on this momentous occasion, that You teach us that “Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee.” May we all be able to echo the words of the Apostle Paul on our retirement day, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is stored up for me the crown of life.”

We pray all this,

In the name of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ,

Amen.

 Benediction

   Lord, as we dismiss from this ceremony, may we not be dismissed from Your Presence. Be especially with …………….. and his family as they dismiss themselves from active duty service in the ……………………… and they enter into a world of new beginnings. In Your Name we pray. Amen.



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