An Advent Invocation

Remember when I said I wasn’t going to offer weekly prayers?

That is still my intention but it seems that I cannot write Christmas Eve without first wandering into the lamentation and hope of Advent. I have been working on a service for the Longest Night and Christmas Eve but couldn’t quite get into the movement of these liturgies until I first wrote this prayer. It came after listening to this song a few zillion times.

There is another version of the song here though I rather like the visuals in the one above. This shouldn’t be surprising if you’ve seen the liturgy I wrote for this season.

Prayer of Invocation

Sometimes, O God,
it feels impossible.
It all feels so impossible.
For here we are again
watching and waiting
for something 
to change 
so that your hope 
for this world 
might come alive
but now
now
now
O God
the earth is charred
and burnt.
There is weeping 
and wailing
for all 
that has 
been lost.
We are not certain
that change will come
even as we pray 
for the heavens to be torn open.
O God, come and teach us to sing again
for we need a new song. We are ready for a new song.
Come, O God. 

This prayer has sat in the working document for these other liturgies and I decided it might be worth sharing. I hope it is a gift to your planning.

You have already been busy planning for weeks, dear pastors. I know. You’ve wondered how you could possibly share the good news of Christ’s birth this year. I promise it will be perfect. All that you have planned will be all that it needs to be. Your love for these people and your hope for our world will shine through every stress. Remember that Saint Francis encouraged the faithful to preach the good news by walking and use words only when necessary. You are doing this, dear pastor. Every day, you are doing just this.