God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
God of Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel,
Of Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth,
Migrants, exiles, and refugees, and of Mary, Jesus, and all humanity,
Give us wisdom to marvel at what seems to be an ordinary list of names. Reveal your extraordinary acts of redemption in the spaces in between.
Perhaps if we were wise and perhaps if we could see, our Advent anticipation could learn to face its other-apprehension and annihilation. Teach us to honour the end at the beginning so that our beginnings may have no end.
By faithfulness you stitch name to name, generation to generation, and salvation to salvation. And by arrogance we loosen one name from another. Our abuse is without bias. We destroy humans, animals, plants, and soil. Contend with us. Fasten our hands to our intentions and our memories to the earth where we meet you and each other.
As we repent in full body and form, secure our names and the generations to come as you have done through time. God who blessed the womb of life, save us once again. Amen.