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Monday, December 24, 2007

When the world was dark...


flickrfoto


...a Christmas prayer.

When the world was dark
and the city was quiet,
you came.

You crept in beside us.

And no one knew.
Only the few
who dared to believe
that God might do something different.

Will you do the same this Christmas, Lord?

Will you come into the darkness of tonight/today's world;
not the friendly darkness
as when sleep rescues us from tiredness,
but the fearful darkness,
in which people have stopped believing
that war will end
or that food will come
or that a government will change
or that the Church cares?

Will you come into that darkness
and do something different
to save your people from death and despair?

Will you come into the quietness of this city/town,
not the friendly quietness
as when lovers hold hands,
but the fearful silence when
the phone has not rung,
the letter has not come,
the friendly voice no longer speaks,
the doctor's face says it all?

Will you come into that darkness,
and do something different,
not to distract, but to embrace your people?

And will you come into the dark corners
and the quiet places of our lives?

We ask this not because we are guilt-ridden
or want to be,
but because the fullness of our lives long for
depends on us being as open and vulnerable to you
as you were to us
when you came,
wearing no more than diapers,
and trusting human hands
to hold their maker.

Will you come into our lives,
if we open them to you
and do something different?

When the world was dark
and the city was quiet
you came.

You crept in beside us.

Do the same this Christmas, Lord.

Do the same this Christmas.

Amen.
(Iona Community)

What are your prayers, hopes, and dreams this Christmas? In what way might Christ creep in beside you? However that may be, whatever your pain, sorrow, or joys this day, may the light of Christ warm your heart.

11 comments:

  1. The mark of a good poem for me is often that I think of someone whom I neeed to share it with...this one passes that test! Thank you for posting it.

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  2. Beautiful :) thank you

    Blessed Christmas Morning to you all.

    I was up and about carolling with a friend

    Good Christian FRIENDS rejoice
    with heart and soul and voice

    Christ was born TODAY, Christ was born today

    (and others)

    May you be filled with the JOY of Christmas ...today and everyday ... xxx

    Christ was born to SAVE, Christ was born to save !

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  3. Thank you.
    I found out yesterday that a seminary friend of mine died in a car accident last weekend. I've been trying to celebrate with a 2-year-old niece and grieve a dear man ever since.
    This was the first place I've been that has helped me bridge that gap with the true story of Christ's coming.

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  4. Thank you. I read this lovely prayer as part of last night's service. Feeling lonely this morning, and then just received a phone call that a church couple (named Jesse and Maria--how's THAT?) welcomed a baby girl into the world early this morning.

    Blessed day all. We are heading for the prison for a day of services, then to the nursing home to see my mom, and then home for lasagna for dinner.

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  5. Amen.

    This is the prayer that inspired our Sunday service...I edited it down for the Advent wreath prayer. People seemed to really like it--no wonder, since it's amazing!

    Have a good Christmas, all...

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  6. How beautiful!
    We had such a lovely service last night, I hope you all did, too.
    Meg, I'm so sorry for your loss.

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  7. ((Meg))...and all others who struggle at this time...holding you in prayer.

    Just stopping in between one commitment and before the next. Wishing everyone, however it is you are spending this day, the grace and peace of Christ. May he creep in beside you this day.

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  8. Merry Christmas RevGal sisters (and brothers)

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  9. I got home from Midnight Mass at 2 am an was greeted with the shrill of excitementfrom my 10 year old daughter was still awake. I laid down with her until 4 - and then her twin brother woke me up at 5 announcing Santa had come! We all got up, opened gifts and went to do the the 10 am service. We got home and cooked and baked and cleaned for our odd assortment of family and friends, (with my 8 week old granddaughter and 1 year old grandson) - 22 crammed into our small kitchen. It was wonderful and noisy. I was beyond exhaustion though and don' remember getting into bed at all.

    What a delight to wake up, get my tea and read the poem that was posted. I, too, used it at all my Christmas eve and Christmas Day service.

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  10. It is a beautiful poem, and, man, did it hit home this year.

    Thanks for posting it and Merry Christmas everyone!

    ReplyDelete

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