Morning prayer · 29 December

A longer day of love

Two small candles are shown side by side with the same flame shape, but one candle is stretched taller than the other as if growing — the shorter candle is today, the taller unlit one just beginning to catch, showing one day of love lengthening into tomorrow's brighter, endless day.

Lord, give me love so that I can love you much. Yes, give me love so that I can love you more, and, all for love, worship you and reach out to you with a touch made holy by love. I’m limping today; let love be my cheerful crutch, feet to plod on now, and one day wings to soar. One day, Lord, but not before you call me complete, having made me so. Today is a day of love and a day of sorrow, with love softening sorrow into a kind of joy, a day that is shorter than it feels. A longer day of love will dawn tomorrow, longer, brighter and lovelier than this one: endless, all love, no sorrow, only a song. Amen.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

Philippians 1:9 (BSB)

Adapted from Christina Rossetti, Verses (1893), in plain words. The verse is from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Drawing: Mutter.