Christmas Morning Prayers 2012

I am brought to my knees, once again on this Christmas morning. My heart and mind expanded beyond my home as I opened my front door this morning to the frigid air and snow covered streets. As I had my traditional Christmas morning chat with my father outside by his memorial tree, I was reminded of Christmas past when in 2001, 3 months after September 11, it seemed impossible to have Christmas Day. We had a similar feeling on Christmas 2004 when my father was lying in a bed in Sloan Kettering Hospital and refused to let any of us come see him far even 5 minutes. "The thought of all of you home with your children, opening presents, will get me through my day." He said. I learned later that the pain was so intense that day, Christmas Day was the last thing on his mind. Then a year later, after he was gone, Christmas morning again, seemed impossible. Last year, my godson Charlie opened his presents with chemotherapy drugs sitting on the kitchen counter. Sometimes it just seems impossible to have Christmas. This year my father-in-law will not e with us. We will include him in the day in other ways. And so as I pray this morning I realize there is not more to pray for that other days, it is perhaps maybe about praying more throughout the day than usual because today, for so many families, seems like an impossible day to get through.

I pray for every family waking up today in Newtown, CT
For every soldier waking up over seas 
For their families waking up here without them
I pray for every family waking up in a new place, displaced from Hurricane Sandy
For every person waking up on a cold street this morning
For every person living through this day filled with grief
For all the people in hospitals and dying at home
For all families living with mental illness at their dinner tables tonight
For every person living with addiction
For every family living with cancer
For every family living with chronic illness
I pray for all families that are disconnected from each other
I pray for all the quiet, unknown sufferings of families while they open their gifts this morning 
I pray for our human brokenness, that we turn to God over and over again for light in the darkness.

And in honor of my brilliant little Mary, I am not putting an Amen on this prayer

Merry Christmas
May God bless us with gratitude, awareness and clarity