Week Two Conversion by Immersion

For unto us a child is born…Isaiah 9:6 ~ As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus we remember children who are born to us somewhere in the world every day who suffer from poverty and hunger, who are our brothers and sisters, who are the least among us, whom Jesus taught us to love. As the first purple candle is lit, let us pray ~ To have hope and to believe that history will continue to be open to the dream of God and to human creativity.

Now as the second purple candle is lit, we pray ~ To have hope is to continue affirming that it is possible to dream a different world, without hunger, without injustice, without discrimination.

Emmanuel we wait in joyful hope to celebrate your presence among us. As we celebrate a conversion of heart, let us do so with an immersion into faith. This week many children will prepare and celebrate in the company of loving adults. Yes, in the developing world, more than a quarter of the children are malnourished. For such as these there is barely a meal a day, let alone a celebration that includes treats and toys. Many don’t even have shoes, and the adults in their lives struggle to provide a future for them. Lord ~ Help us to be a light of hope in the darkness. Help us to stand with those who live in poverty, to lift their voices and to proclaim their dignity. Amen.