A Christmas Prayer for Lonely Folks
The story revolves around a young woman who returns to her hometown for Christmas after being away for several years. She reflects on the past and the people she has left behind, including an old flame. The narrative explores themes of love, loss, and redemption in the context of the holiday season.
By Henry Van Dyke · First published 1906 · Genre: Religious, Inspirational, Poetry · 467 words
First lines
Lord God of the solitary, / Look upon me in my loneliness. / Since I may not keep this Christmas in the home, / Send it into my heart.
Let not my sins cloud me in, / But shine through them with forgiveness in the face of the child Jesus. / Put me in loving remembrance of the lowly lodging in the stable of Bethlehem, / The sorrows of the blessed Mary, the poverty and exile of the Prince of Peace. / For His sake, give me a cheerful courage to endure my lot, / And an inward comfort to sweeten it.
What this Textopian page supports
A Christmas Prayer for Lonely Folks is listed on Textopian as an essay by Henry Van Dyke, dated 1906 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Henry Van Dyke
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious, Inspirational, Poetry, Seasonal, Reflective
- Length: 467 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Christmas Prayer for Lonely Folks by Henry Van Dyke
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles
- A Christmas Carmen by John Greenleaf Whittier
- On The Mountain by James Baldwin
- Keeping Christmas by Henry Van Dyke
- The Wanderer by James Baldwin
- This Side Of The Truth For Llewelyn by Dylan Thomas
- The Youth Of Man by Matthew Arnold
Genres
- Religious — The text is a prayer, invoking God and referencing Christian themes such as Jesus, Mary, and the Lord's Prayer.
- Inspirational — The prayer seeks to inspire hope, courage, and comfort in the face of loneliness and hardship.
- Poetry — The work is structured with poetic elements, including rhythm and imagery, to convey its message.
- Seasonal — The text is centered around the Christmas season, reflecting on its spiritual and emotional significance.
Tags
Christmas story · Poetry collection · Spiritual themes · Faith and doubt · Loneliness and isolation · Hope and redemption · Seasonal literature · American literature · 19th century literature · Christianity and faith · Moral guidance · Philosophical themes