Preface for winter

A Preface for Winter[1]

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We have them lifted up unto the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give you thanks and praise.

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,

we thank you for all times and season,

and now for Winter:

We thank you for winter nights when stars shine coldly bright

and dust is turned to diamond underfoot.

We thank you for winter days

when trees hold in blackened limbs

the promise of resurrection for hearts losing heart.

We thank you for him whose birth we celebrate in winter,

so that we might know, might wildly know,

that mercy blankets all the land more surely than the snow.

We give you thanks for him who at this holy season

makes the children joyful, and who in the end

does not cheat our laughter.