Remembrance of Advent with a Friend - 3

This was the message for the Second Sunday of Advent, 2003 from my dear friend Paul Berry.

A Centering Prayer--

Surprising God,

Your voice, at times, is almost muffled,

yet we have our ears tuned to hear a word,

a song, a murmur, and we await Your sound--

Open us to the melody that can come from an encounter with you,

whether by chance or plan

we long to be within Your sounds--

Penetrate the noise of that which distracts us...

in the abstractions that flow in our minds;

grant us a peek, a glimpse of Your glory again.

speak, in voice that we may not fail to hear!

We await with great intention--

we would dissolve our cynicism;

that we might revisit Your great surprise

that we might re-ignite, become and do love, for others, self, and You.

Amen!

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Poem by Thom Shuman, pastor,

Greenhills Community Church, Presbyterian

Cincinnati, Ohio

if you came
with a fistful of anger,
who could endure?

but you come
with open hands,
eager to grasp our own in love.

if you came
with the fire of judgment,
who could endure?

but you come
with the light of grace,
to show us the way.

if you came
hardened against our sin,
who could endure?

but you come
holding us in your heart,
that we might have life.

if you came
bearing bad news,
we might be able to handle it . . .

but can we endure
the gift
of good news?

even so,
come, Lord Jesus,
come.

Amen.