That’s the hope Christians cherish, and the center of our longing in the season of Advent. That line from “O Holy Night” was very much on my mind this morning as part of the process of a longer, personal blog entry about Christmas (that I’ll try to post tomorrow). 
Then I checked my email, and a friend was telling me about his very sick son and his extreme troubles at work. Then I answered my phone, and another friend had lost his job, right as his pregnant wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Then I read the news, and saw this:
Congo.jpg
Then a friend on Twitter sent this:

Pentecost Church (Unguwan Rukuba area) reported that the first burning of cars began by 6.30a.m. It was a day of burning and killing. Thick smoke engulfed the city and could be seen for miles around.  Most reports showed 
that the Muslim youths were well armed with guns, knives, matchets, bows and arrows etc. On the whole the Christians, having been taken totally by surprise, were defending themselves and their properties with only stones, sticks and anything else they could lay their hands on (even garden rakes); very few guns were available.


I’m short of wisdom or eloquent reflection about all this. The title of this post is a prayer, the post a list of prayer requests. My own prayer is for the desperate hope described in O Holy Night”: 


A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.



More from Beliefnet and our partners