St. Louis priest gives Invocation for Governor’s Prayer Breakfast

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Father Joseph Detwiler, associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Wentzville in the St. Louis archdiocese, gave the following invocation at the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast on Jan. 15 in Jefferson City:

 

Let us bow our heads and recognize that we are in the presence of God:

Father in Heaven, Giver of all that is good: We come before you today with gratitude. We thank you for giving us another day on this earth, and we thank you for letting us live in a country that gives us the freedom to worship you.

We thank you for giving us the duty of leadership in this great state of Missouri. As we look around at the world, we see that it is chaotic. We know that we can only lead people in this crazy world with your help.

We recognize that there is a temptation in this world — to rule by money and power. There are many in our world who do so. We know that this may yield quick results, but will never lead your people to lasting fulfillment. Instead — we ask your grace to come down upon us today, and bestow upon us TWO virtues.

We ask that you may give us Divinely inspired WISDOM ... whereby we are able to see reality from your perspective, and lead in the way that you desire. Always with the big picture in mind and not distracted by fast and easy results.

We also ask that you increase the virtue of MERCY in us. We remember that, although we try our best, no one in this government, and none of the people we serve ... will ever be perfect.

We ask for the grace to show mercy to the people we serve, just as you show mercy to us.

We thank you for listening to our prayers today. We thank you for the food to sustain us, and all those who prepared it, and we remember those who go hungry today.

We ask you to inspire us with the virtues of wisdom and mercy, as we seek to rule your people, because that is how you reign as King of the Universe: with mercy and wisdom.

We ask this through you, who live and reign ... forever and ever. Amen.

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