A Concord Pastor Comments: Homily for January 1, 2018

What a beautiful blessing comes down to us from ancient times
in the words of today’s first scripture:

The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!

• Bless us, Lord, and keep us, all of us,
but a special blessing we pray on the poor and the homeless
who struggle in the cold shadows of our luxury, bounty and excess...

• Open our hearts in this new year
to give more generously than ever before,
to give until we know, too, what it is to go without,
to give until our giving makes a difference for the poor
and in our own lives as well...

• Bless us, Lord, and keep us, all of us,
but a special blessing we pray upon nations at war:
move the hearts and minds of those who govern and rule
until the hunger for power is quenched by a thirst for peace;
keep in your care the poor who so often stand in harm's way,
the innocent victims, the ones who suffer the savagery of battles
in which they take no part;
bring back all those who protect and defend us
and restore them to their families, their homeland and peace...

• Bless us, Lord, and keep us, all of us,
but a special blessing we pray upon the sick and the dying,
upon the chronically and incurably ill:
through the care of others and the help of medicine ease their pain;
let their faith be their strength and your presence their hope;
with compassion and mercy bless the sick
and their families and friends who suffer with them;
bring your healing to their spirits if not to their bodies
and your patient strength to all who stand by their side...

• Bless us, Lord, and keep us, all of us,
but a special blessing we pray upon the Church:
keep us faithful to your Word and your wisdom;
keep us faithful to the gospel's truth and mission;
keep us faithful in forgiving one another
as you have forgiven us...

Send your Spirit to enlighten and enliven the Church,
to lead us and guide us where you'd have us go,
to urge us to do what you call us to do,
to keep and to change according to your will…

Draw us closer, O God, to Jesus and open our hearts
to his presence, his voice, his word and his way...

Make us truly contrite for the ways we have failed
and give us the grace to confess all our sins...

Let your merciful pardon be a sign to the world
that you live in our midst and your love is for all...

Please join me in this litany I’ve written for today:

When we walk in the dark, in the shadow of death:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When we lose our way and look for your light:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When our worries and fears cloud our hope:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When painful memories shade our joy:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When we shut out the light and hide in our hurt:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When disappointment weakens our trust:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When our problems darken the path to your heart:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When self-doubt blurs our insight and vision:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

When a river of grief overflows in our tears:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

At sunrise each day, ever faithful and guiding our way:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

In your mercy be gracious, forgiving and kind, and:
Lord, let your face shine upon us...

Look kindly upon us and give us your peace, Lord:
let your kindness be ours to bind up our wounds;
let your kindness be ours to share all around;
let your kindness be ours in good times and bad;
let your kindness be ours and give us your peace...

The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!