A Simple Prayer for Peace on this Advent’s Eve as our community prepares for the Annual Celebration of Lights Sunday evening.

Eternal God, creative spirit of all that is;

guardian of the poor and the powerless;

advocate of the anonymous, the pushed aside, the forgotten;

relentless foe of injustice, corruption, and tyranny,

on this eve of your Advent we would welcome you into our midst….

But in this same instant, we confess O God: we are not ready for you just yet.

For today your world is broken,

lies shattered, threatened, abused and battered,

pocked by poverty and victimized by violence,

gorged on greed of every conceivable kind

and oh so weary of war.

We confess that we have so thoroughly blocked your message of Peace;

in so many corners of your world your children have traded justice for

revenge.

In this season, your season of Renewed Hope, do not abandon us.

give us ears that hear, eyes that clearly see, minds that critically discern……and hearts that truly and unselfishly love,

So with childlike faith and new-found confidence we may welcome

you into our communities, our families, and our hearts without embarrassment or shame.

On this first night of this New Year, as we anticipate the advent of the

Prince of Peace, abide with us, O Lord.

Amen.

About the writer:

William M. Finnin, Jr., Th. D. is the Chaplain and Minister to the university. He can be reached at wfinnin@smu.edu.