Advent Prayer Calendar

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Jan. 6: Epiphany

Epiphany

Arise, shine; for your light has come.
—Isaiah 60.1

As we complete the seasons of Advent and Christmas
I pray God’s blessings on you.
Christ has appeared in the flesh,
in the fullness of time long ago,
and now in Christ’s birth in you.
Divine glory shines in you.
Let the light of God shine out from your heart
to transform the darkness of this world.
Go, and in the spirit of Christ,
be light for the world.
Amen.

__________________________________

Jan. 5: 12th Day of Christmas

Another road

Having been warned in a dream
not to return to Herod,
they left for their own country
by another road.
—Matthew 2.12

God help me to see
where I need to take another road.
Help me see the habits and appetites
I need to change.
Help me see the ways you call me to grow.
Help me accept what is changing,
and what I need to let go of.
Walk with me, God,
as I leave the path I’m on
and set out on another road.

Jan. 4: 11th Day of Christmas

Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh

They offered him gifts
of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
—Matthew 2.12

The gifts of the magi
are not just for the baby Jesus.
They are for every moment.
Let gold remind you:
this moment is valuable.
Let the incense say:
God is in it.
And let the myrrh whisper:
this moment will not live forever.
Pay attention,
and be here in love
while you can.

__________________________________

Jan.3: 10^th Day of Christmas

Kneel

They knelt down and paid him homage.
—Matthew 2.11

God, I confess I try to be my own sovereign.
It’s hard for me to cede power to you,
to kneel and let you rule my life.
As the magi knelt before the Christ child,
I kneel before you in humility and trust.
I give you my life.
May your love be my law, my power,
my hope and my home.

___________________________________

Jan. 2: 9^th Day of Christmas

Star

“Where is the child who has been born
king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising,
and have come to pay him homage.”
—Matthew 2.2

God, may love be my guiding star today.
May I follow where it leads me,
not led astray by other glittering things,
not wearied in my quest
to love and love only.
Lead me, Love, and I will follow.

_________________________

Jan. 1, 8^th Day of Christmas

New

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth
had passed away, and the sea was no more.
—Revelation 21.1

God, as the new year opens
I open myself
to your love, grace and peace.
I open myself to wonder,
to curiosity, to trust.
I open myself to receive the new year,
to receive each day, each moment.
By your Spirit may I be made new.
Amen.

__________________________________

Dec. 31, 7^th Day of Christmas:

End

O Mystery, remind me of my end,
and how measured my days;
keep me mindful how fleeting my life is.
—Psalm 39.4

As the year ends
I am mindful my life, too, will end.
May I follow your light
and live in harmony with your grace,
so my life may be full no matter how long.
May I live as one prepared to die,
and die as one prepared to live again.

_______________________________

Dec. 30:  6^th Day of Christmas

Presence

It was no messenger or angel
but your presence that saved us.
—Isaiah 63.9

As I come to the end of a year
I give thanks for all that has come,
and for your grace hidden in it.
You have been present every day of this year
and I thank you.
As I face a new year
keep me mindful of your presence,
your loving, faithful presence.

___________________________________

Dec. 29. 5^th Day of Christmas

Weeping

Herod sent and killed all the children in Bethlehem
who were two years old or under.
Then was heard “Rachel weeping for her children.”
—from Matthew 2.16-18

On the fifth day of Christmas—
“five golden rings”—
I pray for those for whom this season
does not bring joy:
mothers weeping for their children
who suffer violence, oppression,
terror, poverty, war or injustice.
It is for them and not me and my happy holiday
that Jesus came.

God, may I pray and serve for their sake
as Jesus did.

__________________________________

4^th Day of Christmas

Siblings

Jesus is not ashamed to call us
brothers and sisters.
—Hebrews 2.11

Jesus you are my sibling.
As Herod seeks your life—
border patrols rounding up
innocent children—
I marvel that you are faithful to us,
that you risk all to be with us in love.
Give me faith
to look upon all as my siblings,
and to seek your presence among them,
especially the most vulnerable.
Thank you, brother.

________________________

Dec. 27 – 3rd Day of Christmas

The other way

         An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother,
and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you;
for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
             —Matthew 2.13

In response to gentleness and love
the world will often answer
with violence and hatred.
Help me, God, to remain gentle
in the face of meanness,
loving in the face of anger.
Grace will be opposed,
and love rejected.
Help me be loving anyway.

________________________________

Dec 26

The next day

The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen.
— Luke 2.20

Today is only the second day of Christmas.
Let me not pack this away,
put Christ away with the decorations,
go on as if nothing has happened.
Let your presence renew me, God.
your love transform me,
your Spirit lead me to new life.
Help me carry the light
into this day, and the next day,
and the next.

______________________________

Dec. 25

Christ is born

To you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior,
who is the Messiah, the Lord.
— Luke 2.11

Though I have waited for this day
it is not a destination
but a beginning.
Holy Child, you bear to me
God’s salvation
unfolding in my life.
I thank you. I thank you.
Now, Holy One, little child,
I take your hand.
Lead me.

____________________________.

Dec. 24

Manger

She gave birth to her firstborn son
and wrapped him in bands of cloth,
and laid him in a manger.
—Luke 2.7

O Love, you come—
not in a well prepared place
but here in the rough manger of my life.
You come not easily, but through hard birth.
Open my heart to your love,
to your labor for my sake,

to your coming.
Love of heaven, you are here.
Now and aways may I receive you.

Dec. 23

Tears

You have fed them with the bread of tears.
—Psalm 80.5

Christmas does not vanquish our pain.
It does not dry our tears.
But neither do our tears spoil the season.
Our pain is what you come to occupy;
our fragility you come to bear with us.
In the darkness we know your presence
even when we cannot feel it.
We trust your grace even when we can’t see it.
We thank you, that even in the darkest day
you come. Suffering with us,
and all those who suffer,
you are here.
We gather, weeping, at the manger,
knowing our sorrow will return to you.
Come, O Love, come to us.

____________________________

Dec. 22

Save me

“You are to name him Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins.”
—Matthew 1.21

Jesus, I need to be saved.
I don’t want to admit it,
but I need you to save me.
I open the door to the basement of my heart.
Walk through the old boxes and dirty rags,
things stolen, stuff broken, junk accumulated.
Set me free, Jesus, to simply love,
to purely trust, to freely give.
Come, child of God, and set me free.

____________________________

Dec. 21

Solstice

The night is far gone, the day is near.
Let us then lay aside the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light.
—Romans 13.12

On this day, God of light,
turn me from darkness to light.
Fill me with the light of your love,
that in whatever I find myself today
I may shine with your light,
and even in the deepest darkness
turn toward your light;
for even now your day is dawning.
O Morning Star, Light of Love, come.

__________________________

Dec. 20

Follow

When Joseph awoke from sleep,
he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.
—Matthew 1.24

God, you know I am not good at obeying
the commands of angels.
I’m not good at hearing them to begin with.
Give me a listening heart
to discern your will,
and courage to follow it.
Help me feel your nudges,
hear your hints,
notice the energies of your grace,
and follow.
Speak to me, God. Speak to me.

__________________________________

Dec. 19

Salvation
Salvation is nearer to us now
than when we became believers.
—Romans 13.11

Jesus, come and save me.
Come save me from my desire to be right,
to have power and control,
to be good enough.
Deepen my trust in your grace
and my awareness of your presence.
Let my life be one in which you,
a homeless and vulnerable child,
will be safe and at home.
“Let every heart prepare him room.”

____________________________

Dec. 18

Prepared

I am sending a messenger ahead of you
who will prepare your way before you.
—Matthew 11.10

Christmas is a week away.
The baby is near birth.
Angels are already on the way.
Preparations have been made,
though we can’t see them yet.
God, help me to trust
you have already prepared a way for me
before I see it.
Help me to trust, and follow.

_________________________

Dec. 17

Do not be afraid

Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,
for the child conceived in her
is from the Holy Spirit.
—Matthew 1.20

God, help me to face my fear
of accepting this world:
for though it is full of disappointment
it is also full of you.
Give me courage to be present,
to be faithful, to be loving,
even when I do not know
what will come of it.
Amen.

______________________________

Dec. 16

Emmanuel

Look, the young woman is with child
and shall bear a son,
and shall name him Immanuel, which means,
“God is with us.”
—Isaiah 7.14

God I confess I resist the good news
that you desire to be with us.
I imagine you want to keep your distance,
that you want to judge us,
to fix us, to even the account,
to make us into something else.
But messed up as we are
you only want to be with us,
with no other agenda,
but simply to be with us,
like a mother holding her child.
Open my heart to your presence,
your deep desire for us,
your desire to be with me.
Simplify my faith, that I may open my heart
to simply be with you.

___________________________

Dec. 15

Open

Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.
God will come and save you.
—Isaiah 35.4

God, you are coming.
I am waiting. I am ready.
I open my heart
for you to be alive in me in new ways.
I don’t know how or when.
I only know there is more;
you are not done with me yet;
you are not done with us.
I do not know what it means,
or what I am expecting—
I only know you are coming
and I am open.
Come, Divine One, come!

_______________________________

Dec. 14

Return

God’s exiles shall return;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.
—Isaiah 35.10

As Jesus comes to make a home among us
he makes the whole world a home.
Whatever pain you are fleeing,
whatever fear you are hiding from,
whatever trauma you have escaped,
Jesus has a place for you.
You can come home.
Even in a cold, lonely world
God makes for you a humble manger
sweet enough to hold you,
a home peaceful enough to return to.
Open your heart to God’s gift:
a time of homecoming,
a time of belonging and peace.

_____________

Dec. 13

Equilibrium

You have brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
you have filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
—Luke 1.52-53

Who is lowly in my life
that I can help uplift?
God give me strength.
What is mighty or haughty
that I can help level down?
God give me humble courage.
What in me needs to be fed?
God, nourish me.
What in me needs to be turned away,
what hands need to be emptied?
God, do not spare me,
but bring me into equilibrium
with your grace.
Amen.

• • •
Join me today in praying for Betsy and Carrie.

__________________________

Dec. 12

Patience

Be patient, beloved, until the coming of the Lord.
The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth,
being patient with it
until it receives the early and the late rains.
—James 5.7

Divine, give me patience:
not slowness of pace—
though sometimes that’s needed—
but acceptance of what is,
trusting it includes your grace
at work, beneath the soil of my life,
deep in the soil of all things,
your grace growing like seeds unseen,
coming, like spring, inevitable.
Give me trust that you are here:
patient, awaiting not your arriving
but your unfolding.
Amen.

_____________________________

Dec. 11

Lowliness

My soul magnifies you, Holy One,
for you have looked with favor
on the lowliness of your servant.
—Luke 1.46, 48

Love, what is lowly in me
is where you live.
What is not mighty in me
is what you take delight in.
Give me faith to accept your favor
without having to be extraordinary.
Help me trust my belovedness.
O Divine, let this be my faith,
that you look with favor
upon my lowliness.

___________________________

Dec. 10

Gentleness

Let your gentleness be known to everyone.
The Lord is near.
— James 4.5

God, as I prepare for the coming of Christ
you are not asking me
to develop superpowers,
or to change who I am.
You are not expecting me to undergo
an astonishing transformation overnight.
You are simply asking me
to become more gentle,
to be more loving, accepting and attentive,
to be tender even toward harsh people.
By the grace you give me
let your gentleness grow in me,
in the spirit of Christ.
Amen.

_____________________________

Dec. 9

Healing

The blind receive their sight, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have good news brought to them.
—Matthew 11.5

God, I open myself to your healing.
I do not know what form it will take,
and I know some things are not healed.
But your grace is a healing grace—
of body and soul, of relationships,
of faith, of hope and courage.
God, I offer up what in me needs healing.
Though I do not always know
what needs healing, or what is healed,
I open myself to your grace.
I trust your grace.
I give thanks for your grace.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Amen.

______________________________

Dec. 8

Justice

They shall not judge by appearances,
or decide according to hearsay;
but with righteousness they shall judge
on behalf of the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.
—Isaiah 11.3-4

God, deepen my awareness;
clarify my vision.
Help me notice the racism
by which I judge by appearances,
the cynicism by which I think ill of others.
Help me see justice and injustice
and act with clarity.
For the sake of Christ,
who comes among the poor,
help me to see you clearly,
to welcome you joyfully,
and to serve you humbly.
Amen.

__________________________

Dec. 7

Fire

I baptize you with water for repentance,
but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me;
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and fire. 
—Matthew 3.11

I am not awaiting Santa Claus.
I await the Beloved, the Promised One of God,
whose reign is cosmic, whose power is profound.
I humble myself before you.
I entrust myself to your grace.
Baptize me with your Spirit;
set my heart aflame with your love.
Let me burn with your presence,
a light in the darkness,
a sign of your coming. Amen.

______________________________

Dec. 6

Hope

May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that you may abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
— Romans 15.13

Loving God,
my hope is not in my own earnest wishes
but in your grace;
in your loving presence,
in your mysterious coming
into this world,
in hidden and glorious ways.
Because you are present,
and always coming.,
my hope is not in a far-off time
but in the present moment,
where already
you are coming.
It is this—it is you—
that gives me such hope and joy
and peace.

_____________________________

Dec. 5

Coming

The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Holy One,
make God’s paths straight.”
—Matthew 3.3

Even in the wilderness of this world
and its deadly chaos,
even in the jumble and clutter of my own life
and its despair and grief,
God, you are making a way.
Like light transforming darkness,
like song filling silence,
you come with your grace
into my life, into this world.
Holy One, I open my heart
to trust your coming,
to look for your coming,
to prepare a way
even through my doubt.

Breath prayer:
Emmanuel … come.

_____________________________

Dec. 4

Wolf and lamb

The wolf shall live with the lamb…
and a little child shall lead them.
— Isaiah 11.6

God, there are wolves and lambs in me,
kind spirits and angry ones.
Make gentle the bitter wolves in me,
and defend the lambs of mercy.
Give me the grace to integrate them,
to be whole, to welcome all the parts of me.
May the Christ child lead them, all of them,
and bring me to a place of peace.

______________________________

Dec. 3

Repent

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
— Matthew 3.2

If Jesus is coming into your life
you will not be unchanged.
What’s one thing
Jesus will help you change?
Start on it now.

Jesus, help me prepare.
Help me with this one thing today,
this one change I’m working on.
Heal me; renew me;
prepare me to be a new person.
Amen.

________________________________

Dec. 2

Day is near

Dec. 1

Dawn

You know what time it is,
how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep.
For salvation is nearer to us now
than when we became believers;
the night is far gone, the day is near.
—Romans 13.11-12

God, in all my darkness,
help me to see the dawning of your light.
In the darkness of the world,
help me to trust your coming.
As light forgives darkness,
let your light change me.
Let my hope in your light
be my light.
Amen.