In this Christmas season like no other,
even now, O God, your name is worthy to be praised.
For in your mercy and kindness
you sent your Son to be our Savior. 

For the blessings of the Incarnation we have known
and for those we have yet to recognize,
to you we sing our praise. 

For life that reminds us how fragile we are and also
     how strong we can be: Glory to God in the highest.
For sheltering that is a reminder of
     your abiding protection: Glory to God in the highest.
For communication that allows us
     to connect in ways new and old: Glory to God in the highest.
And for mindfulness that shows us
     how much we rely on one another: Glory to God in the highest. 

Watch over your family, Lord, gathered here
and at tables separated by miles,
and bless those who work tirelessly to keep us all safe.
Though we may be kept apart
in this season that calls us together,
we know that your Word dwells among us. 

Lord, we ask you to ease the pain of empty chairs
that bring to mind our beloved dead.
Let our grieving find its rest in your Son, Jesus,
in whose Resurrection is our hope. 

Grant your Spirit to be present here
that this meal may become a foretaste of your heavenly table
where every tear shall be wiped away, every hunger fed,
and no distance can separate us from your love in Christ
our Savior, from whom all good things come. Amen.