An advent prayer for the longest night, inspired by 'In The Bleak Midwinter'

God of light and warmth, we await your coming.

We gather today at the turning of the year.

                        The shortest day has been, the longest night is passing.

            Tomorrow will be lighter than today.

                        And imperceptibly, subtly, gradually,

                        the world is moving towards summer.

God of light and warmth, we await your coming.

We gather today in a world of winter.

            We know that here will be dark days ahead,

                        that there will be difficulties before us,

                                    that there will be snow, and rain,

                                                and hail, and frost, and worse.

            But imperceptibly, subtly, gradually,

                        the world is moving towards summer.

God of light and warmth, we await your coming.

We gather today in a world where your kingdom is dawning.

            In the darkness of our world,

                        the light of your morning is breaking.

As you came to the world that first advent,

            taking human flesh and embracing human frailty,

so you are born in us today also,

            lightening our darkness, and melting our frozen hearts.

God of light and warmth, we await your coming.

We gather today in a world

            where it can seem as if it is always winter but never Christmas.

And yet, we gather to celebrate the coming of the one

            in whom and through whom everything changes.

God of light and warmth, we await your coming,

            come Lord Jesus.

Amen.