Prayer for Today

 

Who are You, God?  And, who are we?  These twin questions take a lifetime to explore and experiment with, and we will never fully answer.  Who are You, God that You come to us as a vulnerable infant, made friends with the least, lost, lonely as well as the religious and rich and move through humanness in all our messy diversity?  Who are You, God that You heal and feed and meet us where we are?  Who are You, God that You call us to love even our enemy, which we struggle mightily and can’t do on our own.  Who are You, God, that Your closest “friends” would deny and desert and betray You with a kiss?  Who are You, God, that You faced the cross, Rome’s violent suppression and lynching of people to remind everyone who was in charge?  Who are You, God, that You cried out and offered forgiveness (not vengeance) from the cross?  Who are You, God, that You were laid in the tomb that became a womb of new life of resurrection light streaming forth?  Who are You, God, that You entrust us as vulnerable human beings to share this news amid a world that gospels us in fame and fortune and measuring success by the balance of our bank accounts and trips taken?  Who are You, God and who are we who claim to follow You?  We are not the “we” You call us to be.  We mask our vulnerability.  We deflect and defend our way as the right way.  We mock.  We justify our actions saying, “S/he/they made me do it.”  Help us, O God.  We are not the “we” You formed and fashioned and loved us to be.  As Black Friday emails pour into our computers promising us “The Best Christmas Ever!!!”  You are born in a barn.  As we consume more and more from the earth, You put Your fingerprint on all creation from the soil to stars.  As we get caught up in hustle and bustle, You continue to whisper to our souls about a silent night when the world was turned upside down, or right side up.  We need more than a month to process all this, we need our whole life.  And while Advent, preparing for Your arrival afresh and anew doesn’t start technically until December 1, we can begin today to come to clear out the clutter of our souls for You to meet us in our vulnerability through Your own.  Let Your mystery and marvel stir and sing to our souls every day this month and for the rest of this year.  Amen.