As this week, fraught with so many cares and concerns, has unfolded, I have found myself singing this Advent hymn over and over again. And even though it is not the Advent season, this world is certainly in a period of waiting and watching and wondering. And so we sing together:
Come now, O Prince of Peace, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile your people.
God of Peace and Reconciliation, we lift before you the people of Ukraine, as they live with the Russian invasion and bombing of cities. The world watches and deliberates how we can halt the horrendous turmoil and what it will mean for Ukrainians – and for the rest of the world. Comfort them, as they shelter and worry. Use the wisdom of diplomacy to bring healing to the broken places, reminding the leaders of the nations that we are all indeed one body, each and all children of God. Holy God, have mercy.
Come now, O Prince of Peace, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile your people.
God of Creation, we lift before you the many places on this earth that are suffering the effects of climate change: flash floods in eastern Australia; life-shattering flooding in and around Shropshire, England; the loss of more than 8 million trees in the United Kingdom, brought down by the severe winter storms. Extreme wildfires are becoming more frequent worldwide, which will increase the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. And we confess our own complicity in the ongoing degradation of this earth you have made. Loving God, have mercy.
Come now, O God of love, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile your people.
Great Physician, Giver of Truth, we pray for all peoples in this time of pandemic, for even as COVID statistics go down, people are still becoming sick and dying. Daily deaths from the virus have again reached 2000 in the United States, even as truckers in Canada continue to protest restrictions. And they will be joined by U.S. truckers this weekend, as a demonstration is planned in the nation’s capital. Mask mandates are being dropped in many places, as people rail against this “inconvenience”, forgetting your holy mandate to care for one another. Eternal God, have mercy.
Come now and set us free, O God our Savior.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile all nations.
God of the Poor and Marginalized, we pray for the children- some as young as ten- who are being groomed and trafficked for sex from Romania; for the poor of Kenya, where food prices are soaring; for mothers in African countries like Nigeria and Morocco where baby formula is being pervasively and aggressively marketed, despite the fact that the best and safest and most economical infant food is breast milk. We acknowledge the greed which prompts the formula companies to make more than $55 billion annually, at the expense of the poor. Compassionate God, have mercy.
Come, Hope of unity, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile all nations.
God of Justice and Hope, we rejoice with the U.S. women’s soccer team as they are achieving pay equity in an agreement with U.S. soccer. And we cling to the hope that justice is indeed possible, as the killers of Ahmaud Aubery were convicted on a Federal hate crimes charge in a U.S. court. Open our eyes, our minds and hearts to the reality that you have indeed created us all and we are your own beloved children, each and every one of us. Help us to live in this reality. Loving God, have mercy.
We mourn the death of Dr. Paul Farmer, physician, humanitarian and founder of Partners in Health who dedicated his life to bringing the benefits of modern medicine to those most in need throughout the world and especially to the peoples of Haiti. Amplify this great works in this world of need.
All of this we pray in the name of the God of many names, the God who comes, the God who loves, the God who creates, confident that we are heard, and that you continue to call us Beloved.
Amen and amen.
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