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Dear God, As we begin our Advent pilgrimage,
As we journey down this Advent road,
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In the height of our advent walk,
Grant us the courage to experience joy, Joy in the face of apathy, Joy in the face of sorrow, Joy in the face of uncertainty. Amen. |
God of exiles,
keep calling us home.
You know
the yearnings of our hearts.
You also
know how easily we can lose our way
May this
Advent season be a time
of coming
home to the best of who we are.
May our
personal homecomings
Influence
all the earth.
We walk
this day with hopeful hearts,
believing
that your justice and compassion
will bring
comfort and freedom
to all
who are in exile. Amen.
( Joyce Rupp)
I
come before you, Lord,
Holding my intentions near:
Let
my prayer be as an echo of your love,
Filled with holy silence and stillness.
And the sounds of your peace.
Teach
me to listen and wait as I pray,
So that I may know and understand
Your prayer in me. Amen.
(Therese Johnson Bouchard)
I, who live by words, am worthless when I try my words in prayer. All language turns to silence…….
( Madeleine L’Engle, from “Word” in "The Weather of the Heart")
I am reminded that one old saint was asked, “Which is the more important: reading God’s word or praying?” To which he replied, “Which is more important to a bird: the right wing or the left?”
( A. W. Tozer, Jesus, Our Man in Glory)