O Holy God,
Light of the world, who came into our darkness;
Lover of all, who came into our hostility;
Word of truth, who came into our delusion;
—come again, O Lord.
You did not come as presidents or prime ministers or kings come;
But swaddled in a manger, vulnerable, enfleshed,
Thence as a man of sorrows.
You did not come as the mighty and the generals and the warriors come;
But as one armed only with truth and the weapon of love,
Thus as one who suffers.
You did not come as those grasping after wealth or privilege come;
But as one calling us to mercy,
Yet you received no mercy.
—come again, O Lord.
O light of the world, it has been long since your coming,
and our world is in darkness still;
O lover of all humankind, it has been long since your coming,
And our world is hostile still;
O word of truth, it has been long since your coming,
And our world is deluded still.
—come again, O Lord.
Amen.