If the Holidays Have Been Too Much

Mary sang her heart out.

Mary also sat silently, patiently, pondering. Wondering what God was up to - in her life, in the world.

For much of this Advent season, we’ve been focusing on the singing, the naming, the un-silencing of voices too long unheard. That matters.

But today is for those who, as the holiday festivities ramped up, up, up, felt heavier and heavier. Perhaps it’s grief or loneliness. We see you. God sees you. Sensory or social overload. Expectations you don’t feel you can meet.

We see you. God sees you.

Could we take a moment today to just breathe and ramp down? We’re going to pray a breath prayer of subtraction, where each time we read and sit with these words from Psalm 131, the phrase gets shorter and leads us deeper into stillness.

So get comfortable and take your time walking through this. There is no rush.

Jesus embraces me, like a child in their mother’s arms, quiet and content.

PAUSE.

Jesus embraces me, like a child in their mother’s arms.

PAUSE.

Jesus embraces me, like a child.

PAUSE.

Jesus embraces me.

PAUSE.

Jesus embraces.

PAUSE.

Jesus.

PAUSE.

Amen.