Reader: We think today of the Holy Parents, the blessed mother, riding a donkey led by Joseph on the way to Bethlehem. This image is ripe with promise, with hope, and no doubt a bit of fear. With them, we ponder the great mystery of the Holy Spirit and we do our best to follow their example in accepting a destiny nobody really understands. Help us to fully welcome the wonder of this season, this time of hope and dawning light. Your journey foreshadows the glorious and confusing path that leads right to our little Emmanuel Church, and everywhere that welcomes the holy family.
All: Love, the guest, is on the way.
Let us open our hearts and welcome him.
We have much to be thankful for. We thank you for our safety, for the comfort in which most of us live, despite the perils afflicting the world. We thank you for all those we love. for the beauty of our island, and for so much more (pause to consider one or two things for which you are especially thankful). We thank and ask blessings for all those who are working so hard to keep our spirits, bodies, and health from being compromised in this ongoing trial. Bless them all: our hard working, resourceful priests, Berto and Hugh, our bishop, Greg, our presiding bishop,
Michael, health care workers, food workers, farmers, teachers, and all stewards of our cultural life. We thank all the researchers whose unrelenting persistence has created a vaccine, and our gratitude extends to all those who are responsible for its prompt and effective delivery. We
thank everyone for their patient devotion in looking after those unable to care sufficiently for themselves. Please rain blessings upon all who have practiced your great commandment. We see love in action everywhere we look. Thank you so much! Keep all these good people safe and well in body mind and spirit. And also please take special care of the leaders of state, in
this country and elsewhere. Help them to keep steadily on the path of what is best for all beings and for nature herself. And bless all who celebrate the coming birth of the holy child whose destiny is to save us all.
Love, the guest, is on the way. Let us open our hearts and welcome him.
We ask special blessings on all those who have been affected by illness during this time, especially the newly bereaved and those who have recently died. (pause) May all know peace and the reassurance of your abiding presence. We pray for those with special needs, known
privately to us (pause)and all those on our Parish prayer list whom we name here:
And any others in need of prayer at this time. (pause)
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen