Prayers......Today in light of the horrendous loss of innocent lives in Newtown, CT I offer my prayers for everyone affected by this act of violence. I know that there is no comfort for those who have lost loved ones especially during this time of year. But dear Father I pray that they will feel the comfort and presence of the Holy Spirit in the midst of their despair. May with passing of much time their tears of remembering their loved ones will be turned into smiles of remembering. Only You, Heavenly Father can do this. Amen

Tomorrow we will light the candle of joy for advent (the waiting for the coming of the baby Jesus as well as waiting for His second coming). I thought about joy and thought that against so much violence, it seemed hard to grasp. But then I remembered that this joy is not the immediate emotion attached to any certain circumstance. Instead it is an eternal joy that "is" because Jesus was born on this earth in humanity and walked among us. "This will be a sign to you; the virgin will give birth to a son and He will be called Immanuel, God with us." So in the midst of our despair we have a Savior who knows deep sorrow. But because He walked this tattered earth in the clothes of tattered humanity, He brought to the earth the eternal joy; that is Jesus was, Jesus is, and Jesus will be. And because of the plan that He was obedient to, we have the hope of a reunion day with all those followers who have gone before us. In that day the Word promises us He will wipe away all tears and take away our pain and in that day we will be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.

Immanuel, God with us, we pray together as your people for hope and comfort for all those who are mourning not only in Newtown but throughout our world during this season of Christmas.