A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Prayer: 12/2

Morning Coffee by George Mendoza

On the church calendar, a new "year of grace" begins on the first Sunday of Advent as once again, over the course of a year, we unfold the mystery of Jesus: in history, in word and sacrament and in our own lives...

Good morning, good God!

With Advent comes a new year of grace,

grace that's yours alone to give

and always mine to receive...

In this new year I want to offer you

an open door to my heart

where you to freely enter in

and make yourself at home...

I offer you the corners of my heart's garden
where I often let the weeds grow wild:
help me prune away whatever fails

to nourish my spirit, my soul...

I offer you the closets of my heart, Lord,

filled with grudges and resentments,

boxes of wasted time, bags of foolishness

and suitcases of misspent effort;

help me clean out and discard

anything and everything

that fails to help me heal and grow...

I offer you the cellar of my heart, Lord,
where locked trunks of hurt and anger

wait for the key of your healing grace

to open them up and air them out,

setting me free of what I hide within,

what burdens and holds me down...

And I offer you my heart's deepest hopes
for this Advent's new year of grace:
   my pledge to pray every day, every night;
   my hope of finding my strength in you;
   my need to rely on your wisdom and word;
   my promise to ask for your help each day;
   my desire to pardon those who offend me,
        to be faithful in serving my neighbor's needs
           and quick to welcome the lost and alone...

I offer the new year ahead of me, Lord,

and my resolve to live it as your disciple,

trusting your presence, close by my side

and in those I know and all I meet...

I offer you the new year ahead, Lord
   - just a day at a time -
and I pray for
    the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
       the courage to change the things I can
           and the wisdom to know the difference...

Amen.