Streams of Mercy

A Prayer of Joy for the Third Sunday of Advent

O God of Advent hope and peace and joy, you call the dry and barren parts of our lives to life and new life flourishes. You straighten the winding ways of our journey and smooth our paths. You bring justice and set things right. You give songs of joy to fill our hearts with good tidings of great joy - for this we give you thanks and praise.

Come, Lord Jesus, into communities suffering from recent storms. As they gather at church buildings reduced to piles of rubble this Lord’s Day, strengthen their spirits as they remember that deep truth our children sing about – “the church is not a building … the church is the people.” Scripture reminds us that “the joy of the Lord is our strength” – even in these difficult moments may that truth strengthen their hearts. Move our hearts to acts of loving service as we bear this burden with them.

Come, Lord Jesus into our families. Strengthen our homes and our relationships with one another. Open lines of communication, strengthen commitments, deepen trust, and make us willing and able to do the hard work of loving each other day after day. Protect those in situations of domestic violence and lead them to new beginnings. Be with those who are alone, homeless and forgotten. Open our eye to the needs around us and move our hearts to respond..

Come, Lord Jesus into our faith community and show us how to share the good news of great joy with each other and with our neighbors in ways that make life better for all.

May we sing your songs of great joy from generation to generation, as the powerful are brought down and the lowly lifted up, as the hungry are filled with good things. May we be a part of setting things right, until all of creation rings with the sound of peace on earth and good will among all people; until all is accomplished, and your kingdom come in its fullness, and we are filled with the joy that is ours in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

May we receive the gifts of hope, peace and joy on this year’s Advent journey.

Elizabeth