Morning Prayer Friday, 18 December 2020
Good morning to you all joining us to welcome this fresh Friday with prayer.
O Lord, who lights our way in the early morning darkness, thank you for this brand-new day. Open our eyes to the beauty of this life, open our ears to the cries of those in need and open our mouths with words of welcome, comfort and peace to everyone we meet today. AMEN
We have met to pray online from the chilly days of early spring through the fruitful, flowering summer, the deep colours of autumn and now we have arrived at the turning of the year. We are entering the last week in Advent – next week will be Christmas Day! Friends and family will be asking “are you ready for the big day?” But how to prepare in this year which is like no other?
Here’s a story from Matthew 25. Picture this:
Once there were 10 bridesmaids, five were wise and five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps but brought no spare oil. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming; they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out “Here’s the bridegroom! Come to meet him!” This woke all the bridesmaids and they trimmed their lamps to light his way. The foolish ones said to the wise “give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.” The others replied “No, there may not be enough oil for both of us. Go to those who sell oil and get some for yourselves.”
Meanwhile the bridegroom arrived. The bridesmaids who were ready lit his way into the wedding banquet and the door was closed behind them. The others arrived but they were too late – they had missed the party.
This story has come through the ages as a reminder to remember what is important. In the excitement of preparation, the splendid clothing, the food and finery, some people had missed the all-important light and when it was needed they had no way to find a way out of the dark. We go about our everyday, pre-Christmas life in busy preparation. This different Christmas needs the light that faith in Christ brings to it without the aid of candles and carols in midnight worship or greeting friends with song amidst the holly and ivy and pine boughs of morning service. Phones, computers and TVs will mediate our common worship into one small space that will still be lit with Christ’s light.
O Lord you have led us through the seasons of pandemic with the light of your care and comfort. We lift to you everyone who continues to work for our welfare – the waiter with a smile, the careful server in shop or café, the postie, the delivery driver, the volunteers who keep us in touch, who keep community going. We pray for people with heavy responsibility – national government, local councillors and people who work there, everyone in the NHS especially nurses, blue light workers who scoop us out of accident and danger. Give them all space and time for a deep breath of calm this Christmas. Help us to hold them very dear. Give them courage, give them hope. AMEN.
In the middle of uncertain times we can be certain about what we will commemorate this year: we will be celebrating with light in the middle of the darkest time of this dark year the coming of our Saviour into the history of our world.
May we all be blessed with this marvellous light. AMEN
Cheryl Montgomery
