Come now, O Prince of Peace, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile your people. – Geonyong Lee (Tune: OSOSO)
With heavy hearts, we come to you during this time of waiting, this time of Advent as we prepare for the coming of the One who is God’s incarnated Love. Only this year, this time, looks and feels and is very different, as all the world shudders under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic which has so far taken 300,000 lives in the United States…which has caused the flight of nearly 3.6 million from the city of New York…which continues to stress health care workers and facilities to their outer limits…which has caused the shutdown of all the theatres of London’s West End and New York’s Broadway…which is causing nationwide lockdowns in South Korea, Germany, and parts of England. And so, we hold them all in our hearts and ask your abundant mercy to shower down upon one and all in this hurting world. Come now, O Prince of Peace – for we ARE one body.
–Silence for reflection–
Come now, O God of love, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile your people.
Even as we pray for reconciliation and peace, we learn that more than 250,000 children, youth, and vulnerable adults have been abused in the faith-based and state care facilities in New Zealand over the past several decades, about 40% of all those in care, with the majority being Maori children, members of the indigenous peoples of that nation. We learn of the winter storm threatening the northeastern United States, bringing frigid temperatures and heavy snows to areas already bowed down by the pandemic, and threatening the lives of those left homeless. And so, we hold them in our hearts and ask your healing hand to rest upon one and all in this hurting world. Come now, O God of love – for we ARE one body.
–Silence for reflection—
Come now and set us free, O God, our Savior.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile all nations.
Even as we long for reconciliation, we learn that nearly 2.3 million children in Ethiopia have been cut off from humanitarian aid, including food and medicine. We learn that half of Singapore’s migrant workers are COVID positive, despite the generally low COVID statistics in the population. We learn that Boko Harum has kidnapped more than 300 male students from a school in Nigeria. And we learn that Hungary’s parliament has passed a law prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting children, following their anti-gay policies begun earlier this year. And so, we hold them in our hearts and ask your reconciling spirit to fill one and all in this hurting world. Come now, O God our Savior – for we ARE one body.
—Silence for reflection—
Come, Hope of unity, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile all nations.
With hope-filled hearts, we gaze at our world and our hearts are lifted by the Electoral College affirming the results of the November Presidential election in the United States. We affirm the Giving Pledge initiative which is encouraging the world’s richest people to donate a large portion of their fortunes to charitable causes. We applaud the 370 major religious leaders worldwide who have called for an end to conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people. And we cheer with 74-year-old Pat Ormond who has just graduated from college alongside her granddaughter at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga in the United States. And so, we hold them in our hearts and ask that your hope continue to life our spirits and those of all this hurting world. Come, Hope of Unity – for we ARE one body.
All of these things we pray, O God who Comes. Remind us of your incredible, unchanging love for this hurting, broken world, and fill us with the certainty that we are indeed ONE body.
Amen and amen.
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