The world is getting ready for Christmas.

The newspapers are full of glossy Christmas catalogues.
People are already complaining about prices, queues, crowds,
of how busy things already are,
and how quickly this has come around.
They’re arguing about who should be invited
and where Christmas should be.

We wish we could complain about that too.

Come, God,
into our monotony and anxiety
as we begin the walk to Christmas.

Bring love into the empty spaces in our days
and lives,

and into the waiting for what is to come,
bring peace.

amen.