Lord, please teach us how to pray, and help us to pray now.
When times are dark, it’s hard to see. We can get lost: everything is so confusing, and we can’t always see what is right. We are not asking for easy answers that make us feel like we’re right and someone else is wrong. We ask for your light. Help us see what others see, and turn to mercy. Teach us how to love our enemies.
We pray for our friends and family members who are suffering illness. Some of us are begging for healing; others are asking for peace. We pray for those of us missing someone who’s died, especially as we approach Christmas. Give us faith in your love. We are looking for a glimpse of your mercy. Give us chances to show love to the people around us.
Violence seems to fill our world. In Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, we ask for peace. We pray for UN peace builders in Sudan. Please bring an end to the use of sexual violence in that conflict, and give safety to the 25 million people who are at risk. We don’t always see how, but we pray for peace, and we pray for our government to have the courage to work for justice and for peace.
In Israel and Gaza and the surrounding countries we continue to cry out to you for an end to the killing of children and adults. How can we ask you another way for the same thing we have asked so many times before? How can you let it go on? Where is your light?
In the West we see so much hatred in our politics, and whoever is prepared to lie with the barest face seems to win. We ask for light to illuminate: to show up the truth and expose the lies for what they are. Make us bearers of truth: not of discovering the conspiracy that conveniently makes us right, but of turning to our so-called enemies and listening with love, seeing the wounds that have led to mistrust. Give us wisdom. Teach us how to love our enemies.
As Christmas approaches, those of us looking forward to safe and loving family times feel the contradiction of all the darkness we have talked about, against this time of happiness and security. Help us to understand that when we feel safe and happy, that is real and good, but it is not complete while others are unsafe and isolated. We are one family, and where we have safety, we are grateful for it, and we will work to bring that safety to our siblings near and far. For those of us here who are not looking forward to safe and loving times, please provide friendship, including from within this church. Help us share our lives with each other.
We don’t get to choose what times we live in. You never told us we were going to be OK. In fact, when times were good, it never was OK for most people.
What you ask of us is the same: to love our enemies. What we ask of you is the same: please be there, and be for us, your human family.
We refuse to turn against each other. We keep our eyes open for a crack of light.
Amen