O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father; for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Have you ever been in a situation in which you just did not know what to say? I think many of us have been. Perhaps it was at a funeral or the personal tragedy of a friend. You sat in the room and stared glumly at the floor and simply had no words to say. Those are hard times. I have been in the room when people have learned of terminal cancer diagnoses and another time when the doctor told a man his daughter was not going to wake up and live. In those moments, words are wholly inadequate. There is nothing to say which will make this better.
We pray today for consolation. That is surely a consolation which we so desperately need as human beings who have been cut off from God by sin. We need the gentle love of God for our broken lives and so we beg Christ to pour out that Holy Spirit whom he promised to us. But consolation is not only something for me. Consolation also comes from God through me to another. I cannot tell you what people said to me in the terrible days after my mom died in a car accident a few years ago. But I can tell you who was there. My family and friends surrounded me and were the consolation I needed.
Today, as we wait with the disciples who wondered what would happen next, be present for someone else. Seek out a friend or look for a person in need. Your words do not carry the burden of consolation alone. You may not know what to say. But your presence speaks eloquently and through you God may be answering this prayer for another.