i heard two prayers on christmas eve…
God stilled the heavenly host, as he often has to
do, as two men paused to pray on Christmas Eve.
The angels strained to see their identities but God
dimmed their eyes and said you can tell a lot from
what a man prays, so why don’t we just listen?
The angels obeyed, as most historically have done.
So they huddled at Jordan’s shore and the first
prayer roared up sounding something like this:
God, I wouldn’t want to go to heaven, as great
as heaven is, if you weren’t there. Continue to
wean me away from the gifts so that my soul
finds everlasting satisfaction in you, the Giver.
The angels grabbed their harps from the trees
and erupted in choruses both wild and sweet.
It was quite difficult for God to regain order
such was the commotion, but he finally did,
reminding them that just because something
sounds righteous doesn’t always mean it is.
The second prayer was barely audible, more
pulse than peal, necessitating a mass angelic
bending near the earth, almost touching down.
That second prayer felt something like this:
For I so love this world. Thank you for it all.
Gabriel dared a moment’s glance back to the
Father’s face and was silent at the sight of the
good God’s tears, tears of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy.
I tell you the truth, one man eased into
Christmas Day justified before God.
Tears. Of comfort. Of joy. Of longing.
Oh.My. This is so perfect – may both prayers be mine in 2012. Thank you for this lovely writing. Thank you for putting into words what I most needed to see and absorb this Christmas Eve morning.
Whew… You almost lost me half way through. Glad I stayed to the end! Thanks for blessing all the pleasures of this season, not just the “religious” ones.