counting

Hospitals. Winter.
The way the light attaches:
a long December.

prayers of the people: December 9

Heavenly Father, 

we come to you as your people

your lacking

but faithful 

people

We ask that you come to us

that we may share in Mary's joy 

as people victorious

as people who clearly see who we have been

and what you have asked of us 

as people who are stretched and changed

as people who know 

that peace is always born of travail.

Together, we ask you to 

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your world as King of the nations.

Come to North Korea, where the government prepare for a long-range missile test.

Come to Syria, where the civil war continues.

Come to Israel and Palestine, where barely established peace agreements are threatened.

Come to Egypt, where people cry for a new constitution and for equality.

Come to the Northeastern United States, where Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts continue.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to the suffering as Saviour.

We pray that the sick will be restored

the fallen will be raised

the heartbroken, the survivors, the orphans, and the widows will be consoled.

We pray for the dearly departed,

especially _______

and those we name at this time.

May they share in your victory over evil and death.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as guardian of our souls.

Break into our lives,

where we struggle with direction:

we struggle to believe that here, now, is where we are meant to be.

Set us free to love and serve,

and may the light of God's coming dawn shine

on those who only feel darkness 

on those who live within the shadow of death

and on those who see the future through fog, as they try to discern next steps.

And allow us all to shine

so that you may find in us the completion of your redeeming work.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as a listener

As we name at this time

all we have to be thankful for

all of our blessings

and all of our gifts.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as shepherd.

As we gather gifts and decorations and lists

gather travel plans

gather comfort and kindness

Remind us to slow down

to find awe 

to wonder

to be.

Come, Lord Jesus.

travail

(written by June M. Schulte)

Out of the depth and quiet
of this chill, stark night,
a gnawing ache, a yearning
deepens, rising
like a threatening wave.

The young woman trembles.
Every inmost part of her is
shaken, all comfort broken.
Her hand gropes for something firm to grasp,
but all that was certain has become
obscure, all encompassing,
racked with pain.
Scarcely able to catch her breath,
she feels each wave larger, more
frightening than the last.
And as the great wave breaks over her,
she is broken,
momentarily forgetting what she accepted,
what love she bears,
yet choosing to believe when all seems lost.

Suddenly and completely
she, still bathed in sweat,
enfolds love in her arms,
knows joy as one victorious,
sees clearly as one who has been
stretched and changed,
that peace is always
born of travail.

glance

it's all the tiny moments
the ones you can't capture in words
or even, in some cases, on film

the ones you try to recount to your friends later
as evidence of his love, her laughter, their interest

and feel silly doing so
because there aren't words for

the way he looked with another
that made you certain
he was (not) meant to be yours

the touch that lingered
the smile that betrayed
or denied
or confirmed
or led you to believe

no
to know

you would never be alone again.