Father. Dad. Daddy. Papa. Pops. All words for the person who has been there for you every step of the way from skinning your knee to driving your first car to getting married and having children of your own.
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Even though sickness and illness is a normal part of our lives, it’s never easy to see loved ones suffer. In such difficult times, sometimes the only thing we can do is pray.
Tip: Unfortunately, fathers can't live forever. If you do face the loss of a beloved parent, our post-loss checklist can help you sort through the process.
Prayers for a Seriously Ill Father
Religions all around the world have prayers for healing that you can say when your father or father-in-law is seriously ill. These prayers can offer the support you may need to get through difficult times.
1. "Patience in Sickness" from Christianity
"Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering, you gave us an example of obedience to your father's will. Be near my father in his time of weakness and pain; sustain him by your grace, that his strength and courage may not fail; heal him according to your will; and help him always to believe that what happens here is always according to your will, my Lord and my God. Amen."
It is tough to see your father gravely sick. This is a short and meaningful prayer that you can say on behalf of your seriously ill father to help him focus on the encouragement that all things are in God’s hands.
2. "Mi Sheberach" from Judaism
When we pray for healing, we are praying not only a physical cure but for spiritual healing as well. If you are looking for encouraging words to say after surgery, this Jewish prayer helps a person ask God for strength, restoration of health, blessing, and compassion for their sick father.
"May the One who blessed our ancestors — Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah — bless and heal the one who is ill.
May the Holy Blessed One overflow with compassion to restore, to heal, to strengthen, to enliven.
The One will send our father complete healing — healing of the soul and healing of the body — along with all the ill, among the people of Israel and all humankind, soon, speedily, without delay."
3. "Prayer for Healing" from Islam
"Get rid of the hardship and heal, O Lord of the People, you are the Healer, and there is no healing of disease like Yours. Let it be healing that is not betrayed by sickness." – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Muslims understand that humans are fragile and prone to illness. They don't see it as a punishment from Allah. They see it as a test of faith and as an opportunity to seek Allah's mercy, forgiveness, and healing.
4. "Padmasambhava's Healing Prayer" from Buddhism
"The illusory bodies of all sentient beings suffer from fear, harm, and illness. Through an indescribable ocean of misery, we pray to the power of The Healing Buddha; The Physician Buddha; The Spiritual Doctor who heals all ills and afflictions through his form as the Lotus-Born Buddha."
One of the central tenets of Buddhism is the fact that the body and the mind are co-dependent. Praying for your ill father will not only help encourage your father, but it will help calm you, as well.
5. "Make our Family free from Disease" from Hinduism
"He is known as the Supreme Ruler and Destroyer of the terrestrial as well as heavenly lives! We bow down for protection. Oh, Lord Rudra! Please come to our doors and make our family free from illness!" – Rig Veda
Prayers are a powerful way to soothe your mind. You can use this prayer to help your loved ones recover from a grave illness.
6. "Save your Servant" from Taoism
"Save your servant, O Sustainer of Life, from too early a death. Free me of that affliction of believers who so easily become rigid of heart in their journeys to you."
In Taoism, you don't pray to a deity, but instead, you pray to send positive thoughts and vibes to your loved ones.
7. "Prayer for Healing" from Baháʼí Faith
“Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” – Baha'i Prayers, p. 86.
Even though doctors can help your father heal physically, prayers can help bring spiritual healing and encouragement. Pray this to help your father focus on any spiritual guidance he may want in his life.
Prayers for a Less Seriously Ill Father
Watching your father or father-in-law go through illness is difficult and can be distressing. You need to be serene and calm so that you can be a source of peace and tranquility for your loved ones in such trying times. With the help of ”Get well soon, Dad” messages and prayers, you can lift the spirits of your father.
8. "Prayer Name" from Paganism
"Great Goddess Brigid may the waters of your wells cleanse and wash this illness away. Ease suffering and lighten the spirit with strength and renewal."
Prayers are a symbol of joy and hope, especially in trying times. They have a special place in people's hearts. This pagan prayer is helpful for those who are taking care of their ill fathers and want to give them some faith to hold on to.
9. "Prayer for Perfect Health" from Buddhism
"By this practice, may those who have perfect health be firmly established in that perfect health. May those who do not yet have complete and perfect health be brought to that level of health, well being and strength."
Buddhists believe that the mind and body are synced, and for a healthy body, you need to have a healthy mind. This is a prayer for good health and peace for your loved ones.
10. "Prayer for Healing" from Islam
“Remove the harm, O Lord of humankind and heal him, for You are the Healer and there is no healing except Your healing, with a healing which does not leave any disease behind." - Al-Bukhaari
Sickness goes hand in hand with life. Even though modern medicine and science have come a long way in curing illness and preventing disease, many of us find comfort in prayers when our loved ones fall sick.
11. "Prayer for Recovery" from Lutheran Church
"O God of heavenly powers, by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies all sickness and all infirmity: Be present with your servant, that his weakness may be banished and his strength restored."
Recovering from sickness is a difficult journey, but with the help of the right medicine and prayers, you can make it easier for your father or father-in-law to get well soon. Consider placing a prayer such as this inside a card along with a get well gift.
12. "Prayer for the Body" from Judaism
"Blessed are You, our Eternal God, Creator of the Universe, who has made our bodies in wisdom, creating openings, arteries, glands, and organs marvelous in structure, intricate in design. Should but one of them, by being blocked or opened, fail to function, it would be difficult to stand before You. Wondrous Fashioner and Sustainer of life, Source of our health and our strength, we give you thanks and praise."
In difficult times, turning to God is a way to soothe and comfort your mind. Through this prayer, you can ask God to keep your father in His heart and assist them in finding the power to heal.
13. "Prayer to Our Lady of Mercy" from Christianity
"May all who worship you feel now your help and protection. Be ready to help us when we pray and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it your continual concern to pray for the people of God."
Whether the ones you love are suffering physically or mentally, you can pray to Jesus to end their suffering and pain through faith and meditation.
14. "Prayer for Life" from Native American Religions
"Our old women gods, we ask you! Then give us a long life together, May we live until our frosted hair is white; May we live till then. This life that now we know!"
Seeing your father lying on a bed, sick, ill, and suffering can be overwhelming. Prayers such as this can help you and your father focus on the hope of enjoying a long life together and healing from illness.
15. "Prayer for Healing Hearts" from Baháʼí Faith
“O maid-servant of God! Continue in healing hearts and bodies and seek healing for sick persons by turning unto the Supreme Kingdom and by setting the heart upon obtaining healing through the power of the Greatest Name and by the spirit of the love of God." - Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Vol. III, p. 629
Knowing that there is an-powerful deity watching over us and our loved ones provides us with hope, faith, and strength to face what may come.
Praying to Stay Hopeful
It is easy to feel hopeless in times of physical or emotional hardship. However, in times like these, praying can help us focus on hope instead of despair. Pray for your loved ones to help them hold on to the promise of better days to come.
If you're looking for more ways to support a sick loved one, read our guides on what to say when someone's sick and encouraging quotes.