An Advent Prayer...
God, You exist… in the voice of one crying out — calling —
in the wilderness, as Scripture tells us…
like the raging wind of December’s winter,
like a power outage in every village,
like the power outside of human control and convenience.
God, You exist…
Like the flickering flame of the candle-light in each house, disconnected electrically,
where family and friends rely on the little light they have, which is beautiful and enough.
In that moment, You exist …
as a welcome and warm assurance of safety.
God, You exist.
in the inner strength of our embodied self,
when we withdraw into the deep and the hidden
and find the pearl and the treasure, unburied and priceless.
(The joy of the Creator is in us and among us,
and it shall never dry up.)
God, You exist.
In the joy of wordless communication,
the space between the lines,
the silence, the darkness,
in the subtle dance of our emotions…
God, You exist.
In our enjoyment of the familiar, of beloved family and Church traditions…
God, You also exist, in a different kind of joy,
The joyful discovery and development of new traditions and new friendships…
The happiness that comes when we open ourselves to new learning, exploring the separate origin and the common story of two different people, two different communities…
God, You exist.
When we intentionally displace our comfort zone
to build meaningful relationship with our neighbours.
Your joy abides in friendship, and for this reason, we pray:
we pray that, with all those who are treated as if they are in the background of society, the under-loved, the underserved, and those who are estranged from family, friends, and faith, due to their social status or identity, we may be able to “reconstruct" a Christmas experience to hold the pain and offer hope, acceptance, encouragement, and love in this Christmas season.
God, You exist in community.
Mary sings in her Magnificat:
“My soul rejoices. My spirit magnifies my Lord.
My Joy is not an isolated sentiment I keep to myself.
I sing the collective joy God calls us into. Lord, you exist in community!”
God, You exist, in embracing and being embraced, in the times of grief.
May we never deny the suddenness of loss and oppression, and at the same time,
may we never give away the power in us to still feel joy…, which is a gift from YOU.
God, Your People exist.
We pray for the places and the people where and for whom, after the news Headlines fade, the emergency and unimaginable humanitarian crises remain and are still experienced.
God, All Creation exist.
In this Advent season, may we strengthen our relationship with the Earth, and learn to live with the rhythm of it, slowing down, and not being afraid of going deep…
Especially as we move towards the birth of Immanuel — God being with us --, Immanuel — God being with all creation,
and being born among them —.
May Truth and Reconciliation, and the recovery of our communion with the Earth in right relations, be good news to us… for learning, humility, joy and transformation.
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