Blessed are the poor in spirit ... as they will not see their grandparents as a mealticket to the future.

Blessed are the gentle ... as they will recognise and be patient with the weaknesses of old age.

Blessed are they who mourn, and who comfort the bereaved and lonely in their loss.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, ... that the old and weak will not be cast aside but be treated with dignity and respect.

Blessed are they who are merciful and who forgive the old for the faults and failings of yesteryear.

Blessed are the pure in heart, who see the old and young as they really are.

Blessed are the peace-makers and the agents for reconciliation between generations.

Blessed are they who accept with grace the wisdom of old age.

Blessed are they who can look back on a life of integrity and know they are loved.

Blessed are they who do not judge their young, so that they will not be judged.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because they do what is right, standing up with courage to defend what they have learned through the years.

Blessed are the old and the young, children, parents and grandparents who acknowledge with gratitude the great gift of life they have been given to share.

... for the Kingdom of God is theirs.

A GRANDPARENTS BLESSING AND PRAYER.

Lord, today we bring to you in prayer our grandparents.
They may be here with us now, or may already have died and are now at peace.
As parents, they gave life and cared for our own parents.
We thank you for them and for that gift.
We thank you too for the memories they created and that they have shared with us.

They were born into a world different to ours.
As times have changed they may have struggled to keep up and sometimes lost touch.
Forgive us for the times we have been impatient with them and help us to be generous with our love and care for them in their old age.

Bless with eternal rest those grandparents who have died.
Bless all grandparents with peace and contentmentand an acceptance that their lives were well spent in your service.

We ask St Joachim and St Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, to pray with us as we offer this prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.