Emmanuel, God with us, hear our prayers:

For those who cannot bring themselves to sing with the choirs of angels this year,

For those for whom there is still no room in any shelter,

For those who long for an angel to appear in their dreams instead of PTSD flashbacks,

For those who have no one with them when they give birth,

For those whose wombs are still barren,

For those who will spend only a portion of Christmas with their children due to divorce,

For those who will make family recipes and remember Christmases past,

For those whose adult children do not communicate with them,

For those recovering from addictions of the flesh,

For those who are afraid and anxious due to gun violence,

For those who must choose between paying for healthcare or gifts for their children,

For those who will spend Christmas grieving the loss of their child,

For those hoping their Covid test will be negative, 

For those hoping their family will respectfully use correct pronouns,

For those with empty chairs,

For those who will spend Christmas in the hospital, nursing home, or rehabilitation center,

For those who long for their minds to be calm and for memories to return,

For those who long for their bodies to be restored and free of pain,

For those who have lost trust in others due to betrayal,

For those who have suffered unimaginable injustices from the Herods of our time,

For those who cannot even give words to their heartache,

For those who are weary…

Guide us by the stars, Incarnate God. 

Light our way through this darkest night to the manger filled with tangible hope, palpable peace, and immeasurable love. Amen.