There’s a wonderful poem by the poet William Wordsworth titled ‘Surprised by joy’. What a wonderful image that conjures up – joy, as it were, stealing up on us unawares. The poem, it turns out, is rather a sad one, unlike this season of the Christian year, which, it seems to me, is characterised by joy above all. And such is the message at its heart that we can go on feeling today – and every day – the same happiness as Mary and Joseph, shepherds hurring to Bethlehem and wise men journeying from the East, for it was then, and continues to be now, news of great joy, for all people, for all time. That’s the message of the following short and simple illustrated prayer, taken from my book The Animal Lover’s Daily Prayer Book.
Thank you, Lord,
for the message of Christmas,
so familiar and well loved,
yet still able to surprise me with joy,
causing me to catch my breath in wonder.
Amen.