In this Advent prayer, Eric Massanari bids Emmanuel to come and bring his peace and love and inspire renewed faith.
Eric Massanari serves as the executive conference minister for the Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA. He is also a trained spiritual director and is currently serving on the board for Spiritual Directors International (SDI). Eric lives in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife, Yolanda Kauffman, and he actively participates in the Seattle (Washington) Mennonite Church and Community of Hope, Bellingham, Washington, congregations.
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Come, O Wise One, here and now,
to dispel the murky clouds of ignorance and
the distorting smoke of presumption.
Through the eyes of our hearts — our broken hearts —
help us see with compassion and insight.
Come, O Mystery, here and now,
to confront hardened answers and
dismantle our cold prisons of certainty.
Interrupt us with burning bushes, blazing stars
and all that leads us into renewed faith.
Come, O Root, here and now,
to anchor us in these turbulent winds
of human arrogance and the suffering of all beings.
Ground and nourish us with the one thing
that allows us to bend without breaking: your love.
Come, O Key, here and now,
to unlock the sealed doors of upper rooms
where we hide in fear and seek safety in the familiar.
Give us courage and strength to turn fully towards life,
ready to give generously and receive graciously.
Come, O Radiant Dawn, here and now,
to cast aside shadows of hate and injustice
and expose the gloom of dehumanizing lies.
Illumine our faces — each and every one —
that we might say: “Here is a Beloved Child of God!”
Come, O Ruler of the Upside-Down Realm, here and now,
to overturn tables of greed and
unseat tyrants from their thrones.
Like a tender new shoot, may your justice sprout up
and your peace arise from the ashes of loss and suffering.
Come, O Come Emmanuel, here and now,
to help us remember we are never alone.
Be with us.
Be within us.
Be among us.
Amen.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog belong to the author and are not intended to represent the views of the MC USA Executive Board or staff.
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