On this Christmas Eve…

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,  (which means, God with us.)”  Matthew 1:23  

Immanuel, God with us.    You who are no stranger to this weariness of ours. You who see beyond our pretense, an unraveling bordering on futility and despair.    You who know the inside track of our lives, including those we’d prefer to forget.    You who look upon us, not with judgment and condemnation, but with a love that is limitless, faithful, and true.  

On this Christmas Eve and in your mercy, liberate us from fashioning you into a god of our own making.   Absolve us when we insist on heeding narratives that deny the urgency of your divine love and justice.    Forgive us when we fail to see the multitude of your children and all creation as you do, as bearers of your divine countenance.

Immanuel, God with us.   Light of Light that inhabits all goodness and mercy and love.   Call us back to Bethlehem and the manger once more.   Where we can perceive the wonder of it all, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.  Amen.

Author: Jessica McArdle

These are dark and corrosive times. As a writer and ordained minister with the United Church of Christ, I use prayer, poetry, reflection, and scripture to re-align our embattled spirits with the uniqueness and urgency of our God-given identity and call. View all posts by Jessica McArdle