A musical prayer of confession

O little town of Where-We-Live
you surely know the score.
We give to those who give to us
and overlook the poor.
The homeless and the widows
don’t have much Christmas cheer.
How can they when they live without
the basics through the year?

But we who live with all we need
take all of it in stride.
The holidays are good to us.
We rarely are denied.
We bake our Christmas cookies
and gather with our friends.
A concert here, a party there
and then the season ends.

But somehow something’s missing
in spite of what we do.
If honest, we’re quite empty
and joys it seems are few.
We end each year resolving
to break with old routines
and yet come next December
we’re like we’ve always been.

This Christmas may God give us eyes
to see what makes Him cry.
And hearts to feel the pain he knows
when plans for justice die.
As shepherds left their livestock
we’re called to leave our flock
to seek the place where Christ is found
uptown or down the block.

* These lyrics can be sung to the tune of O Little Town of Bethlehem

A hymn of hope for days of despair

God remains our source of courage
when we’re traumatized by terror.
When we’re haunted by the headlines
and the violence everywhere.
Hear God whisper in the silence
“Don’t despair, I’m in control.
Hurting hearts and broken cities
will at last one day be whole.”

God can feel the pain of suffering
when grenades and bombs explode.
When a dad is taken hostage
at a checkpoint on a road.
Then God whispers in the silence
“Justice will in time be done.
I will stand with those who need me
‘til my Kingdom fully comes.”

God invites us to be trusting
when we find that faith is hard.
When we’re fearful for our safety
and our nerves are frayed or jarred.
Still God whispers in the silence
“Even when your faith is weak,
I will keep your feet from stumbling
when your way is dark and bleak.”