Christmas: A STABLE TABLEAU
(These prayers could be used in a meditative way by one person, or could be used as part of group prayer or carol services)
| {mosimage} | Lord, there is stillness in your stable The quiet of the sleeping child of the mother and father who watch and wonder. Penetrate our hearts With your stillness So that while we are rushing and fussing There is a still point of contact with you. Afraid of the solitude of their souls People have filled life with noise: Harsh, raucous, crude; Have covered thought and feeling with superficiality. Let our stillness of soul show That the peace of God is in all That seeking we will find, And be found. |
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Leader: Live in us, God |
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| Lord, there is joy in your stable- The joy of creation, the joy of protection. Flood our beings with your eternal joy The joy of hope. Some of us have lost hope: We are living in poverty, wretchedness, We are stateless, we're homeless, we're workless; Help us to give hope by our prayers our thoughts our sacrifices our concern. Let us put back the joy and warmth into love And with you bring hope into the world. |
{mosimage} |
| Leader: Live in us, God All: And help us to love |
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| {mosimage} | Lord, there is a family in your stable Loving each other, needing each other. We are a family, too, Lord. Are we afraid to give love? to show need? Lord, show us our dependence on you and on each other. The world has left you out of love, so love becomes selfish, immoral, perverted, And we are lost. People need love. Lack of love brings empty homes, maladjusted children, warped minds and wills. Our love won't reach far enough, Lord. We need yours as well. |
| Leader: Live in us, God
All: And help us to love. |
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Prayers written by Sr Elisabeth Healy, OP