The First Sunday of Advent

What do you fear? in the time of Herod, we long for God to break in.

In the Time of Herod

I didn’t live during Herod’s time—that brutal, murderous king, God save his soul.

But even hundreds of years later, I know the prayers of his people.

I know the prayers of the mothers and the children under his rule.

I know the prayers of the young men under his angry arm.

I know their prayers, because anyone who has ever lived in this soft world for more than two days knows how to pray for a miracle.

We rub our hands together. We fold weary shoulders in, a cage of bone to protect our bleeding hearts.

We sing, we shall overcome and bind my wandering heart to thee.

We walk across bridges and in front of powerful buildings.

We cover our cars in stickers that scream, we will not give up!

We allow a hungry cry to slip from our lips, giving our lament a life of its own (with room to dance!).

And when all of that is said and done, we whisper to our creator, God, break through the yelling and the fear.

Break through the violence and the oppression.

Get past the Herod’s of this world and come be here.

Like every bleeding heart before, we pray for a miracle.

Prayer by Rev. Sarah A.  Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org