A Christmas prayer for peace

Creative spirit, friends, loved ones, hear our Christmas prayer.

Let there be peace in our hearts and in the hearts of others.  In the heart of the world.

May there be a peace that transcends personal and national boundaries and a peace that embraces all of creation.

Let there be this understanding at this time of the earth’s urgency that our horizons need to be broadened.  That our horizons need to be limited, that we turn toward each other with open hearts.  That we understand that our fragile earth is hurting and needs its own sustenance and renewal.

Let us understand that in considering the Christmas star that we know that we are of stardust.  That we too are born of that light, that substance, that ethereal nature.

Let us understand that we are shepherds of this precious world.  And let us hold that together we can be wise and bring each of our unique gifts of sight, of sound, of soundness of heart, in lightness of spirit to this aching world at Christmas time.

In this moment, in this tender moment, let us remember and pledge ourselves to be the spirit of Christmas.  To be giving, to be receiving, to be vessels of divine inspiration and human willingness.

Let us reach out, let us embrace, and let us refrain from embracing the ways that cause harm in any way to all of the earth.

Let us celebrate that innocence can be born over and over again and may we set aside our woundedness and our righteousness, to humbly serve the world with a renewing spirit of hope, joy and love.

May there be peace in us, in each other, in our city, in our state, in our country, in our hemispheres, in our world.

Let us remember this as our Christmas prayer and our Christmas promise.  And let us sit for a few minutes in silence and joyful anticipation of this peace working through us in the years, months, days, and moments ahead.