for the advent of hope
o God, these are darkening days, with little hope in sight. o God, help us in our fear and desperation. anchor us in hope!
“let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” —John 14:1
blessed are we with eyes open to see the accumulated suffering of danger, sickness and loneliness,
the injustice of racial oppression, the unimpeded greed and misuse of power, violence, intimidation, and use of dominance for its own sake,
the mockery of truth, and disdain for weakness or vulnerability—and worse the seeming powerlessness of anyone trying to stop it.
blessed are we who ask: where are you God? and where are Your people— the smart and sensible ones who fight for good and have the power to make it stick?
blessed are we who cry out: o God, why does the bad always seem to win? when will good prevail? o God we trust You, for we know You and love You.
for You o Lord, are the One who seeks out the helpless, lifts them on Your shoulders, and carries them home no matter how broken they are, or what wrong they have done.
o God, seek us out, and find us, we your helpless people, and lead us out to where hope lies where your kingdom will come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. for You are the anchor dropped into the future —our future.
open your hands as you release your prayers. then take hold of hope. as protest.
O Christ, have mercy on the little ones distance learning today.
Give focus and curiosity to the little ones,
interest and help to the middles,
and protection, hope and wisdom to the older ones.
Give special help to students with no support, family instability and learning struggles.
Help the parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers.
Come Lord Jesus, and bring hope and connection amidst fractions and essays and pure boredom.
Kate Bowler – I’ve LOVED your “Everything Happens..” book and had purchased your dissertation book “Blessed” but it is gone with everything from a California wildfire two years ago. You and I share some dear friends in common – both Sarah & I came to you from different places. Shortly after the fires, my 3 decade long relationship (27 year marriage) began the process of ending. Today may be the day I sign the settlement. A very long, drawn out, fraught process. When you write: “the unimpeded greed and misuse of power, violence, intimidation, and use of dominance for its… Read more »
I loved the Blessing at the end of the last podcast!!! I wonder if you would allow me to share it with family and friends — crediting you, of course. It so articulates where we all are right now. And I really believe we all need the hope to hold on to just a little while longer.
Thank you so much for the podcast, which I’ve listened to constantly (through my journey with breast cancer ( 2018-19 ) right up through today. Always wonderful in so many different ways.
Kate Bowler, you are my hero: courageous, spirited and spiritual, eloquent, funny, and lovable. I have stage four cancer, metastatic in my back and lung, but I am a lively 77 year old who has just finished the ms of a book offering some notions about how to get through or how to live vibrantly even with a lethal diagnosis. Would you be so kind to take a look at a two chapters and maybe even offer a comment? I do write of you as a great place to go to for my audience, any audience. Boy, would I jump… Read more »
Thank you for your words of blessings. Sometimes I have no words and your serve as grace.
I enjoyed the blessing. I will be visiting the Durham area during Christmas. I am trying to respect and observe Advent this year in preparation for Christmas Mass. but my friend says she cannot attend mass at her church because there is not masking. Do you know of a parish that is observing mask mandates?
Hi Paulette, the City of Durham is still under a mask-mandate, so we are hopeful that churches are observing the masking rules. I know that Duke Chapel does and they might be a great option. The Chapel is gorgeous.
Thank you for your response.