A Christmas Prayer from India

Today is Saint Thomas day in the church calendar. Thomas is usually remembered as Doubting Thomas for the doubts he expressed about the resurrection before he saw Jesus for himself. But in India, he is remembered as the Apostle who brought the Gospel to that subcontinent.

The following prayer by Savithri Devanesen, is one that comes out of a part of Christianity facing persecution this Christmas season:

Lord, there is enchantment in the air tonight
casting a mysterious spell of expectancy on all creation
fulfilling the promise of the birth of God on earth
as a human child.
And as I watch with trembling hope
the wondrous pageant pass by
of poor shepherds and powerful kings
the radiant serenity of the night
is suddenly broken by a storm of power-drunk winds
spewing bullets of hatred, hurling stones of violence
on men and women, on frightened children
all fleeing from the grips of oppressive structures,
from bondage of sorrow and broken lives,
from explosive knowledge which has not yet
solved the problems of hunger and poverty,
from crumbling values which confuse the mind,
from death itself...
searching for the manger
where God's love and goodness for all humanity
blossoms in the heart of a Babe
and lets us know anew this Christmas morn
all people
as our brother,
as our sister.