prayer

"Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen."

- from The Book of Common Prayer, 

The niece (Holli) of a family friend (Joy) was critically injured in an accident last week in India. Our friend, Joy, and her sister (the mother) were able to get emergency visas and flew to meet her. They were horrified by the the conditions of the hospital: Holli's mother had to run around town (in a foreign land, keep in mind) to find any prescriptions or equipment the doctors needed for her child. Rats scamper between the hospital beds. Holli has a head injury, and the hospital does not have the equipment or training to deal with it.

"God is waiting. Creation is waiting. Humankind is waiting. We are waiting for redemption, for everything to be put back in its proper place in relation to God. We see signs and shadows, aches and groans of what's to come, knowing that what we wait for is not here yet."

- from The Sacred Echo by Margaret Feinberg

"Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen."

- Third Sunday Advent Prayer from The Book of Common Prayers

The Sacred Echo by Margaret Feinberg is a simple book, really, about a simple concept--prayer. But it's not a treatise on prayer. It's one woman's encounter with prayer and encounters through prayer.

It's about cultivating a relationship. It's about respite in God.

This is a prayer from the Transforming Culture symposium. On Monday,  I'll continue my interactions with it, namely with our allies in the artistic journey. In the meantime, let this prayer bathe you in the clear, baptismal waters, and get down with your creative self. (Did I really just say that?) 

Matthew 11 has always been a difficult passage for me. John the Baptist, a faithful preacher for the Lord, is in jail for his work for Christ. In his cell, he begins to wonder, perhaps even have a shade of doubt. He sends his disciples to ask Jesus, "You are Christ, right? I mean, this isn't for nothing?"

Stop. This isn't the difficult part. In fact, this part comforts me. Even John the Baptist had his doubts. Maybe we should call them semi-doubts. He's not renouncing Christ. He's not taking back his message. But he needs some reassurance.