May God bless you with discomfort
at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may live deep within your heart

May God bless you with anger,
At injustice , oppression, and exploitation of people
so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace

May God bless you with tears
to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice
and kindness to all our children and the poor, Amen

Howard E Friend, Gifts of an Uncommon Life, Herndon: The Alban Institute. 2008