Thursday, December 19, 2024

For Teachers, A Week Before Christmas

 

O Word made flesh, You dwell among us

in the classroom

during the last week of school before the Christmas holidays

during the language arts test they must retake

because not enough words and their ways

would take the first time.

Help us, when words fail us (we use too many or too few),

to partake of Yours.

And we shall find our weary, hungry bones

take on flesh,

and live.

 

You dwell among us

during the Christmas party

when they are too much,

whether in volume

or sweetness that is merely in the food.

Remind us that You were young once, too,

when You barely knew the difference

between eager participation, and overload.

Did your emotions run high on Your way to the Temple?

Remind us that You were there.

 

You dwell among us

when we’re over in the church auditorium

practicing up on stage for the program

that’s happening for real a few nights from now

and they forget their lines

and they pester their neighbor

and fidget

and…hey, what’s that out the window?

O Word made flesh,

when we’re on stage,

the center of our self-made stage,

breathe audibly enough to let us know

You’re waiting

in the wings

with Your wings

to cover us with

Your Peace.

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