Monday Morning Offering: 1/10

Image: George Mendoza

 

Good morning, good God!

 

Well, Lord:

    Christmas is over - even at church!

We've had our first snow storm

    and snow day at school

and January's dates are in double digits...

 

So you'd think that by now we'd be getting back to that 

    after-the-holidays-business-as usual

        "normal" time of the year  - but we're not! 

There's so much unfinished business, Lord,

    so many problems left over from the year just past,

so much that weighs on our minds and shoulders,

    so much that haunts our souls,

        so much left undone...

So this morning, Lord, I want to offer you

(actually, I want to dump in your lap!)

    some things we want to let go of, 

    things we want to be rid of,

    things that we want and hope and pray 

        to be fixed, repaired and resolved...

And I've got a list, Lord!

 

    1) The pandemic - and all the illness, stress and discord

            the virus has spread throughout the world.

 

    2) Political division in our nation

            and the lies, racism, acrimony and hatred

                that widen the gap - every day that goes by.

 

    3) The scourge of hunger and homelessness

            and the shame that is ours, Lord,

                for letting you starve and shiver and perish

                 - when so many of us have more than we need.

    4) The scandal of bitter discord in the Church

            - and our failure to love one another 

                and temper our disagreement

                    with charity, kindness and mutual trust.

 

    5) Our failure to care for the earth, our common home

            - and the slow, reluctant, selfish pace

                at which we move (and fail to move) to rescue and restore

                    all we've squandered, lost and wasted.

    6) And our own individual faults, fears and failings

            that stand in the way of your mercy and grace

                and keep us from loving our brothers and sisters

                    - as you, Lord, have always loved us...

I dump all this in your lap, Lord,

    not because I think we're free of blame

    or that it's your job to fix and make things right

but only because we so desperately need

    your help and inspiration,

    your strength, your mercy and your Word 

to show us how to fix and make things right 

    in a world we've marred and scarred,

        in a life we've failed to reverence and respect...

 

There's so much unfinished business, Lord,

    so many problems left over from the year just past,

so much that weighs on our minds and shoulders,

    so much that haunts our souls,

        so much left undone...

 

Please help us, Lord, in the year ahead,

    help us do what you'd have us do,

    let go what you've have us give up,

    give as you'd have us give

    and love as you've loved us:

        freely, fully and with forgiveness...

 

Amen.

          

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