Litany for Advent
Photo: Gerald Farinas.
Leader: O God, we light candles in the darkness to remind us that you are coming. But the darkness feels very close this year. For the anxieties that wake us up in the middle of the night, and for the fears we are afraid to speak out loud, we turn to you.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer.
Leader: We pray for those facing the emptiness of food insecurity. For parents skipping meals so their children can eat, for empty cupboards, and for the rising cost of groceries. Be the bread of life and move our communities to feed one another.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer.
Leader: We pray for those anxious about their work. For those staring at the ceiling at night worrying about job security. For those who are unemployed and weary from filling out applications without a response. For those who labor without a living wage.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer.
Leader: We pray for our bodies and our health. For those navigating a broken medical system. For those who are sick and cannot afford a doctor, and for those waiting on terrifying test results. Be the healer of our every ill.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer.
Leader: We pray for our immigrant neighbors who are living in terror. For families who fear separation. We ask for protection against the raids of ICE and the crackdowns of CBP. You were a refugee child who fled the violence of the state. Be a shield for the undocumented and the seeker of asylum.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer.
Leader: We pray for those crushed by poverty and debt. For those who have no safety net and feel the walls closing in. Remind us that you were born in a stable because there was no room for you in the places of power and comfort.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer.
Leader: We pray for a world at war. For the victims of violence and the innocents caught in the crossfire. We pray for leaders who are incompetent, foolish, or cruel. For those who govern with pride rather than wisdom. Bring down the mighty from their thrones and lift up the lowly.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer.
Leader: In this season of preparation, do not let us lose heart. Even in the shadow of death, war, and poverty, help us to see the flicker of your light.
All: Lord, Emmanuel, hear our prayer. Amen.
