Lord, look down upon us —
Your Filipino children.
You have blessed our land with incredible beauty and wealth . . .
our magnificent trees. . .
our majestic mountains. . .
our fertile soil, nourishing us
with food. . .
our mines, filled with gold
and silver. . .
our seas, rich with fish. . .
our beautiful, sandy shores. . .
our mild climate, blessing us with sun and rain. . .
Above all, You have filled the Filipino heart with
generosity and joy. . .
with a willingness to share. . .
with a desire to reach out and help others. . .
with a hunger to love. . .
You have blessed us with the power to smile. . .
even when everything is wrong. . .
You have given us the strength and courage
to carry on cheerfully. . .
even in the depths of poverty and hardship.
For all this, we thank You, with all our hearts!
And we ask you. . . please. . . to heal the evils
that have fallen on our nation. . .
the graft and corruption
that has had such terrible effects
on the poorest of our poor. . .
the selfishness and greed
among our leaders. . .
which has made so many good Filipinos
feel hopeless and helpless.
Lord, you know that 70% of our people
are living below the poverty line. . .
that three out of ten
are hungry, every day.
So we beg of You. . .
touch the hearts of our leaders. . .
touch their minds. . .
their eyes and ears. . .
give them the wisdom to see
the agony they are causing. . .
give them the grace to change!
You have said to us, loud and clear. . .
“Ask, and you will receive. . .
Seek, and you will find. . .
Knock, and it will be opened to you.”
We ask you to transform the hearts of those
in power. . .
Remove their selfishness and greed. . .
and fill them with love
for their brothers and sisters. . . .
the hungry, and the poor. . .
Lift this nation out of darkness, into the light. . .
Out of poverty into the fullness of life
which they deserve. . .
We ask you this through your mother. . .
whom You love. . .
who is also our mother . . . whome we love. . .
Our “Mama Mary”. Amen.