Dear God,
There’s an empty chair at the table this year,
an weight in our hearts,
an absence in the room.
Things are different this Christmas
and we struggle to accept them.
And although things have changed,
you, O Lord, have not, and we thank you.
Remind us that our beloved has a home in your heart
and a seat at your table.
Bless us with memories of our missed one
and the reassurance that they are with you this year.
Teach us to depend on friends in these seasons
and be with those who do not have any,
so that they might find company in you.
Comfort the afflicted and alone,
like you did the grieving sisters Mary and Martha,
as we remember the promises you made to us ages ago.
Gather us in, O God,
for you are our mother, and we are your children.
Your table is always set.
Amen.
—December 25