sacramental effort

Coming Christ, guide our feet To walk toward the hurting and offer comfort, toward the despairing and offer hope,  toward the homeless and offer shelter, toward the refugee and offer rest. Shine on the darkness, Reveal to us where there is great need,  dispel the darkness of fear, illuminate the face of the stranger that they become our neighbor. Prepare the way, Show us how to accept and extend hospitality, how to love in a way that requires courage,  how to walk toward God even in times of trial, how to be fully human. Set us free from fear that leads to intolerance, anger that leads to violence,  greed that leads to exploitation,   pride that leads to judgment. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, our God, who has come to set us free, to shine light on the path to salvation. Who has prepared for us a kingdom to work toward. Who has loved us since the beginning of time, who is in love with us now, and who shall love us for...

We wait as millions of saints have before us, as the world around us groans with sighs too deep for words, we wait. We yearn for the courage to be hospitable; for the grace of God that enables the mundane to become miraculous, we yearn. We believe that Jesus’ humanity was divine that the paradox of Jesus’ existence is as mysterious as the fullness of his love, we believe. We hope for peace to proliferate throughout creation for the refugee to find peace and security in a world bound by fear of the stranger, we hope. Glory to God who came to be among us as a refugee, is among us now and who will remain with us throughout all time. Amen.