Advent, Day 11: Children of stones

Today’s reading: Matthew 3:1-12

God,

raise us up to be children

of the stones

let us not presume ourselves to be

the righteous ones

just because we’re the regular attenders,

or the brightest scholars,

or the rule-followers,

or the law-makers,

or even because we’re the progeny of

the faithful

remind us that our

religious ancestry alone

does not clinch our belonging,

but is the foundation

upon which we must build

if we desire to be counted

among the stars in the sky

among the grains of sand

God,

raise us up to be children

of the stones