On This Longest Night
A Self-Guided Liturgy for When the Holidays are Hard
Our culture insists the holiday season is by default full of light, hope, and joy. But that's never been true, not for everyone; otherwise, there would have been no need for Christmas in the first place. This "On This Longest Night" service is an opportunity to "come just as you are," to bring your pain, grief, and confusion and share gentle music, poetry, and prayer without anyone trying to "fix" you, because we believe God is already "near to the brokenhearted." We hope you find this self-guided liturgy helpful.
A Self-Guided Liturgy for When the Holidays are Hard
Our culture insists the holiday season is by default full of light, hope, and joy. But that's never been true, not for everyone; otherwise, there would have been no need for Christmas in the first place. This "On This Longest Night" service is an opportunity to "come just as you are," to bring your pain, grief, and confusion and share gentle music, poetry, and prayer without anyone trying to "fix" you, because we believe God is already "near to the brokenhearted." We hope you find this self-guided liturgy helpful.
We are grateful to the folks at The Congregational Church of Fresno, CA for publishing the original text of this service from 2020.
Welcome
You are not alone. The Christmas season is difficult for people who have borne personal losses or grief in the course of the year, or who may be affected by, or working to address political and social unrest in the community. You may be grieving the climate crisis affecting our entire planet and every species, including our own. Emmanuel, God-With-Us, is with us especially in our grief and loss. You are not alone.
You are not alone. The Christmas season is difficult for people who have borne personal losses or grief in the course of the year, or who may be affected by, or working to address political and social unrest in the community. You may be grieving the climate crisis affecting our entire planet and every species, including our own. Emmanuel, God-With-Us, is with us especially in our grief and loss. You are not alone.
Musical Offering
"Come, Ye Disconsolate," performed by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack
"Come, Ye Disconsolate," performed by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack
The Gift of Lament
Scripture contains faithful witnesses from every emotional height and depth, and can help us find the words in those times when it may be most difficult for us to do so. Pray this prayer of lament from this witness in Lamentations, and with all who have turned here before you.
Scripture contains faithful witnesses from every emotional height and depth, and can help us find the words in those times when it may be most difficult for us to do so. Pray this prayer of lament from this witness in Lamentations, and with all who have turned here before you.
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Lamentations 3: 1-12
I am one who has known grief under the rod of the Most High’s anger. I am one who was led away-- Left to walk in the night, far away from the light. The hand of God has been turned against me, again and again, both day and night. God has torn away my skin and muscle and broken my bones. God has surrounded me and besieged me with bitterness and calamity God has cast me out into the darkness like those long dead. |
God has walled me in—there is no escape-- And weighed me down with shackles. Even when I call out for help, God ignores my plea. God has obstructed my path with huge boulders And blocked my every step. God lies in wait for me like a bear Or like a lion prowling its prey, Forcing me into the briars-- The Most High has bent the bow; I am the target for God’s arrows. |
Reflecting on Lament
What have you witnessed? What have you endured? Take this moment to honor the pain and stress of this past year and all the unfinished stress and grief of prior years we drag along with us: war and disaster, disease and dis-ease, personal grief and loss, racial violence, and political tension. What feelings, sensations, and memories do the strong images of the fierce God of Lamentations 3 evoke in you? Be radically honest with yourself. Don’t look for “the point”. Instead, pay attention to what the images stir within you. How have you experienced God at this time?
What have you witnessed? What have you endured? Take this moment to honor the pain and stress of this past year and all the unfinished stress and grief of prior years we drag along with us: war and disaster, disease and dis-ease, personal grief and loss, racial violence, and political tension. What feelings, sensations, and memories do the strong images of the fierce God of Lamentations 3 evoke in you? Be radically honest with yourself. Don’t look for “the point”. Instead, pay attention to what the images stir within you. How have you experienced God at this time?
Music for Reflection
"The Prayer Cycle: V. Grace" by Jonathan Elias
"The Prayer Cycle: V. Grace" by Jonathan Elias
A Prayer of Longing and Waiting
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Holy One,
We have waited through many a long night, for your coming: like those of old our eyes have been red from weeping, our minds numb from anxiety, and our hands held out in longing. And this Advent season sees us waiting again, alongside our own struggles, and alongside a world torn apart by greed and need, poverty and affluence, hunger and excess. |
When will You come to us?
When will we see a star we can trust? When will wise ones rise up in our midst? When will humble workers see angels? How long, O God, must we wait for the promises to be fulfilled? How long will You keep us waiting? So as once more we play the waiting game, unable to bring about the changes we seek, unable to put an end to society’s pain, unable to appease all the hunger, help us to be tenacious, unyielding in our expectation that Christ has come, and Christ will come again. Amen. |
Musical Offering
"Plowshare Prayer" written & performed by Spencer LaJoye
"Plowshare Prayer" written & performed by Spencer LaJoye
A Witness of Hope
While Scripture honors even our deepest hurts, and is a companion through our grief, Scripture doesn’t stop there. We pray on with the poet-author of Lamentations:
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Lamentations 3: 19-33
I remember my woes and wanderings-- The wormwood and the gall. Those memories are so clear to me, And they fill me with despair. Yet, other memories give me hope. The Most High’s favor is not exhausted, nor has God’s compassion failed. Mercy rises up new each morning, so great is God’s faithfulness. |
“God is all I have,” I cry. “So, I will wait in patience.” The Most High is good to those who hope in God, to all who seek God’s presence. It is good to wait patiently for God to set us free. For the Most High will not reject us forever but will show compassion and the fullness of love. God does not willingly torment or punish any human being. |
Reflecting on Hope
Take this moment to remember the mercy of God, and to witness to hope in your own life and community. And if you can’t remember, then imagine—imagine the mercy of God poured out over you. Pay attention to what emerges within you. How have you experienced God at this time?
Music for Reflection
"The Prayer Cycle: III. Hope" by Jonathan Elias
"The Prayer Cycle: III. Hope" by Jonathan Elias
Blessing for This Longest Night
by Jan Richardson
by Jan Richardson
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All throughout these months
as the shadows have lengthened, this blessing has been gathering itself, making ready, preparing for this night. It has practiced walking in the dark, traveling with its eyes closed, feeling its way by memory by touch by the pull of the moon even as it wanes. So believe me when I tell you this blessing will reach you even if you have not light enough to read it; it will find you even though you cannot see it coming. |
You will know
the moment of its arriving by your release of the breath you have held so long; a loosening of the clenching in your hands, of the clutch around your heart; a thinning of the darkness that had drawn itself around you. This blessing does not mean to take the night away but it knows its hidden roads, knows the resting spots along the path, knows what it means to travel in the company of a friend. |
So when
this blessing comes, take its hand. Get up. Set out on the road you cannot see. This is the night when you can trust that any direction you go, you will be walking toward the dawn. |
Musical Offering
"Holy Darkness" by Dan Schutte, performed by Chris Brunelle
"Holy Darkness" by Dan Schutte, performed by Chris Brunelle
Closing Prayer
God of creation,
You gave us love. Thus tonight, as our hearts hurt due to love lost, we ask that you give us comfort. Flood our minds with memories of love and with gratitude for all of those moments. And as we wade through this Christmas season, help us to catch glimpses of you in the midst of our heartache.
God of light and hope,
Give us peace instead of resentment.
Give us you instead of the mere thought of you.
And if you can, give it to us sooner rather than later.
Gratefully we pray. Amen.
Sending
Go in peace, trusting that you are loved, you are known, and you are not alone. Amen.
God of creation,
You gave us love. Thus tonight, as our hearts hurt due to love lost, we ask that you give us comfort. Flood our minds with memories of love and with gratitude for all of those moments. And as we wade through this Christmas season, help us to catch glimpses of you in the midst of our heartache.
God of light and hope,
Give us peace instead of resentment.
Give us you instead of the mere thought of you.
And if you can, give it to us sooner rather than later.
Gratefully we pray. Amen.
Sending
Go in peace, trusting that you are loved, you are known, and you are not alone. Amen.