A Table Grace for Advent: David's Grace #3

Christ our Light and our Life,

We remember that you once came to us -- enfleshed and in our likeness.

We remember your promise to come again and bring in the fullness of the kingdom.

Help us to remember, as we partake of this meal, that you are continually coming.

That you are still enfleshed and in our likeness.

That you are among us now at this table.

And that you are among those who are not at any table this day.

Help us to remember during this season:
The poor.
The hungry.
The unemployed.
The homeless.
And all in need.

And may this food you have provided strengthen us:
To be your hands.
To be your eyes.
To be your ears.
To be your heart.
And to show your love to all.

We pray this in your holy, life-giving name.

Amen.

Advent is a time of expectation, but it is also a time to remember. Take the word apart. Re-member. Member back together. In this grace, we re-member ourselves in Christ to those at the table and those who are not. We re-member ourselves to those who can eat their fill, and those who do not know where their next meal will come from. We re-member ourselves to our faith -- that Christ not only has come, and will come, but is coming. Christ is always among us, if we just open ourselves to his presence.

It's a rough time for a lot of folks. This holiday won't be a very happy one for many. While we give thanks for what we have, we need to wake ourselves up to what others are going through. In Mark's Gospel for the 1st Sunday of Advent, Jesus reminds us to keep awake. Let's not only keep awake for Christ's eventual coming, but for his continual coming among us and the whole human family.