Living with Christ Morning Prayer

Living with Christ Morning Prayer
December 15, 2013
Third Sunday of Advent


Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?

Jesus, I am happy to see
that there are two sides
to John the Baptist.
Last Sunday he was full of fire,
calling out broods of vipers
and proclaiming your coming
in the strongest language.

Today, all the certainty has gone out of him.
Doubt has whispered in his ear,
and now he's not so sure about you.

Jesus, you often seem to get frustrated
with slow-witted disciples,
and you were known to get
wild with rage at hypocrisy,
But sincere doubt, like John's,
you tend to treat gently.
You reassure him, and
then praise him to the crowd.

Jesus, be gentle with my doubts too.
My faith never seems as strong
as I wish it would be.

When my mind floods with doubts,
help me, like you did John,
to see all the signs of the good news
you bring to the poor
and the sick and the suffering.

Better yet, when doubts come to me,
Give me the courage to go out and be
a sign of your good news to the poor
and the sick and the suffering.

For that is the only way
to truly believe that
the kingdom of heaven is coming.
Amen.


For a prayer for today from St. Symeon, see page 189 in the December issue of Living with Christ.