Collect:
Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God,
as we await the advent of Christ your Son,
so that when he comes and knocks
he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
*
Today's Readings
Daily Meditation:
That He may instruct us in His ways.
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
We want to begin this journey by
rallying ourselves
to turn to the Lord with great hope.
In the midst of many discouraging challenges in our lives
and the violence in the world around us,
we desire to spend this day in anticipation of the graces
our God desires to give us.
They shall beat
their swords into plowshares
and their spears
into pruning hooks;
one nation shall
not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they
train for war again. Is. 2
Lord, I am not worthy
to receive you;
but say only the word and my soul will
be healed.
Today's
Daily Reflection
Intercessions:
Christ
the Lord, Son of the living God, light from light,
leads us into the light and reveals his holiness.
With confidence, let us make our prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus!
Light that never fades, dispel the mists about us,
- awaken our faith from sleep.
Guard us from all harm today,
- may your glory fill us with joy.
Give us unfailing gentleness at all times,
- toward everyone we meet.
Come to create a new earth for us,
- where there will be justice and peace.
Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
I sense that all is your creation
and everything, and all of us,
are being drawn back toward your loving heart.
Help me to be a person of
peace,
to speak about it in an uneasy world,
and to live it among the people
you have put into my life every day.
Light in me a desire to prepare
for your coming
to stand in the darkness, waiting, eager and filled
with joy.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Daily Advent Prayer
“Lord, open
my lips, and my mouth shall declare your
praise.”
Collect:
Look with favor, Lord God, on our petitions
and in our trials grant us your compassionate help,
that, consoled by the presenceof your Son, whose coming we now await,
we may be tainted no longer by the corruption of former ways.
Throughour Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever. *
Today's Readings
Daily Meditation:
A shoot shall sprout from the stump.
Our God can transform our weakness, our sin, all conflict and all
division.
From every life-less
stump - where any future hope has been cut off
- a shoot of new life can sprout.
He shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
We need to really hear this
“good news” so that our hearts can begin to be softened
to hear how profoundly our God desires to help us
and to make things right with all of creation.
Throughout the day today, we can lighten our spirits
as we turn to God and pray:
Let me rejoice at the coming of your Son, for me!
Justice shall flourish
in his time, and fullness of peace forever. Ps. 72
Today's
Daily Reflection
Intercessions:
To
the eternal Word who became man
to reveal to us the new and living way.
Let us make our humble prayer:
Come, Lord, and save
us!
God in whom we live and move and have our being,
- come teach us that you have made us your own.
You are not far from each of us,
- show yourself to all who search for you.
Father of the poor and consoler of the afflicted,
- set captives free, give joy to those who mourn.
You hate death and love life,
- free all mankind from eternal death.
Closing Prayer:
God of forgiveness,
I turn to you in my great weakness
and beg for your help.
Let me feel the joy growing in my heart
as I anticipate your coming.
I hear the message of the prophets
of old
and know that the Messiah will bring
new life and new ways of living.
From the humbleness of my life,
help me to grow and bloom
and hear the words
that will change the world.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Daily Advent Prayer
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your
praise.”
Collect:
Prepare our hearts, we pray, O Lord our God,
by your divine power,
so that at the coming of Christ your Son
we may be found worthy of the banquet of eternal life
and merit to receive heavenly nourishment from his hands.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. *
Today's Readings
Daily
Meditation:
We reflect today on a promise of a day full
of hope
of plenty, of peace. We ask for the grace to be open,
to respond to whatever the Lord is offering us in these precious days
of preparation and anticipation.
No matter how difficult
our situation, we can trust in the Lord;
we can eat and be satisfied.
I shall live in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life.
On
that day it will be said:
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
Today's
Daily Reflection
Intercessions:
The Word of
God humbled himself to dwell with us so
that we might see his glory. Rejoicing in hope,
let us call
upon him:
Emmanuel, be with us.
Ruler, just and righteous,
- bring justice to the poor and the oppressed.
King of peace, you beat swords into plowshares and spears
into pruning hooks,
- turn hatred into love and our grievances into forgiveness.
You do not judge by appearances,
- recognize those who are your own.
When you come with power and might upon the clouds,
- grant that we may come before you without shame.
Closing Prayer:
Lord of all,
you are a God of plenty, a Lord who provides
for us in our need.
As I begin these early days of Advent
help me to believe that you know what I need.
Give me the courage to listen to your voice
and the freedom
to open my heart to the graces you are
offering me to place my trust in you.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Collect:
Stir up your power, O Lord,
and come to our help with mighty strength,
that what our sins impede
the grace of your mercy may hasten.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. *
Today's Readings
Daily
Meditation:
“On that day ... ”
The reading from Isaiah
is another promise of a day of victory,
when the tables will be turned on injustice.
Today, let's turn to our God, with all our needs.
Part of our Advent
journey is about learning to hope
- learning to imagine what we can't see.
Let's go through our day today, desiring freedom
with a growing confidence
in our God who promises to save us.
Come
and set us free, Lord, God of power and might.
Let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
Today's
Daily Reflection
Intercessions:
Christ
is the wisdom and power of God, and his delight is to
be with the children of men. With confidence, let
us pray:
Draw near us, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, you have called us to your glorious kingdom,
- make us walk worthily, pleasing God in all we do.
You who stand unknown among us,
- reveal yourself to men and women.
You are nearer to us than we to ourselves,
- strengthen our faith and our hope of salvation.
You are the source of holiness,
- keep us holy and without sin now and until the day
of your coming.
Closing
Prayer:
God of strength and protection,
I turn to you because I need help.
I long to be free enough
to trust that I can lean on you.
But I become
afraid.
Help me to trust in you, Lord.
Your strength and power
are a gentle place of protection.
Be a safe refuge
when I am being trampled.
I long for your help, your protecting care.
Help to deliver me from the cold
loneliness of these dark nights.
May the Lord
bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Daily Advent Prayer
“Lord, open
my lips, and my mouth shall declare your
praise.”
Collect:
Stir up your power, we pray, O Lord, and come,
that with you to protect us
we may find rescue
from the pressing dangers of our sins,
and with you to set us free,
we may be found worthy of salvation.
Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. *
Today's Readings
Daily
Meditation:
The lowly will ever find joy in the Lord,
and the poor rejoice in the Holy
One of Israel.
In the busiest of
times, it is often difficult to realize
that our worst enemy is our own sinfulness.
When we do realize that, however, we can really beg God to save us.
Today, let's say the prayer Jesus gave us,
devoutly, and as a real Advent prayer.
Our
Father, in heaven,
may your name be holy;
may your kingdom come;
may your will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today, your faithful bread for the journey.
Forgive us our sins,
the way we forgive the sins of others.
Don't let us be overcome by temptation,
but deliver us from all evil.
Today's
Daily Reflection
Intercessions:
Through
his Son, God the Father revealed his glory to
men and women. Therefore, let our joyful cry resound:
Lord, may your name be
glorified.
Teach us, Lord, to love each other,
- as Christ loved us for God's glory.
Fill us with all joy and peace in faith,
- that we may walk in the hope and strength of the Holy
Spirit.
Help all mankind, Lord, in your loving mercy,
- be near to those who seek you without knowing it.
You call and sanctify the elect,
- though we are sinners, crown us with eternal happiness.
Closing Prayer:
Jesus, protector,
I long for your coming.
The promise of new light is there
if only I can believe.
Protect me from
dangers
and lead me through the gloom and darkness
to the joy I so long to find in you.
Lift me from
my lowly sins
and give me the promise of salvation
with no more shame,
only the light and saving grace of your love.
Let the ancient
dream be fulfilled in you
and peace come to this life and world.
May the Lord
bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
