Lord, we have so many questions during this holy season of Advent. Some we’re willing to speak out loud and others we would rather keep to ourselves. And yet, you encourage us to ask our questions because you know more than anybody that life is more than a final exam with true and false questions.
Help us to be more like John the Baptist who asked the question that others were afraid to ask Jesus, “Are you really the one who is to come or are we to wait for another?” We know that it’s by asking you questions and through being curious that we grow the most in our faith.
And today, we especially pray for people who may be asking questions about their faith as they are worried about their health, facing medical challenges, struggling with an illness, grieving the loss of a loved one, not sure of a decision they need to make, or just trying to make ends meet.
And this morning, we especially pray for people who are asking questions about what we should be doing to help stop the senseless mass shootings that are happening in our nation and world like the shootings that happened yesterday at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and in Australia at Bondi Beach. We lift up to you those who have lost loved ones through gun violence and who deserve so much more than our thoughts and prayers alone. They deserve justice and our undivided focus in making any changes that would prevent people from getting shot while studying for a final exam or enjoying a day at the beach. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Even in the midst of our unanswered questions open our eyes to the many ways that we do see your presence when people encourage and support each other, when hope is restored, through a sign that points us toward the direction we need to go, when countries lay down their weapons and seek peace, and most of all through Jesus who came to heal, teach, guide, and save us and how he taught us to be your disciples and to pray together…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
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