In these Advent Days, O God, may our hearts lead the way;
Because despite all the pressure to the contrary:
The tinsel;
The glitter;
The relentless pressure to buy, buy, buy;
Our hearts long for something more.
For something deeper.
For something much more real.
For that which we often cannot quite name, but somehow we know.
And, so we pray, God…
Turn us around.
Point us in the right direction.
Turn us in the direction of the One who comes to be the Prince of Peace.
Turn us in the direction of a star that still might lead the way.
Turn us in the direction of unexpected angels who meet us on the street or in the store.
Turn us, we pray, in the direction of Christmas.
Advent Continues – December 6
In the rush of these days, O God,
To get to Bethlehem
Or to wherever it is I might be headed;
Slow me down, just enough
That I might lift my head and open my eyes
To see the faces of those I pass by;
And, for a moment, to pay attention to whatever it is I see in their eyes.
And, in doing so, to allow something of the Holy
To wrap itself around our
Very ordinary;
Very human;
Most blessed lives.