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Fourth Sunday of Advent
Daily Advent Prayer
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”Entrance Antiphon:
Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.Collect:
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. *Daily Meditation:
“For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.” Luke 1On this last Sunday of Advent,
we quietly reflect on the mystery.
We rest in awe, in wonder,
at how our God entered our world and came to be with us.
We pause to receive the gift offered us:
that the Spirit of God will open up our lives and
that Jesus will really come into our hearts.May we have watchful hope today,
believing what the Lord promises us.
Let us pray today, that we might be God's servants,
that we might be instruments of God's love
for our families and all we serve this week....Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Luke 1Lord, make us turn to you;
let us see your face and be saved. Psalm 80... from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from ancient times. Micah 5Intercessions:
To the Lord, Jesus Christ, judge of the living and the dead,
let us pray:
Come, Lord Jesus!Lord Jesus, you came to save sinners,
- protect us in times of temptation.You will come in glory to be our judge,
- show in us your power to save.Help us to keep the precepts of your law with strength of Spirit,
- and to look forward in love to your coming.You are praised throughout the ages;
in your mercy help us to live devoutly and temperately in this life,
- as we wait in joyful hope for the revelation of your glory.O LORD AND RULER
of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai:Come, and redeem us with outstretched arms.
Closing Prayer:
Oh, Adonai, dearest Lord,
Compassionate God of justice,
so many areas of my life seem imprisoned
but you promise me real freedom
and peace in my life.Renew my spirit and free my soul.
Please, open my heart
which you have bathed in the longing of Advent.I am awe-struck as your glory fills the earth
and I want to follow you in caring for others.
Grant me the grace to see
how you shine your light on the poor
who have such a special place in your heart.Come, Lord Jesus! Come!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Praying Advent Home | Celebrating Christmas Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home
December 20
December 19
Daily Advent Prayer
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”Collect:
O God, who through the child-bearing of the holy Virgin
graciously revealed the radiance of your glory to the world,
grant, we pray,
that we may venerate with integrity of faith
the mystery of so wondrous an Incarnation
and always celebrate it with due reverence.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. *
Daily Meditation:
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.In Zechariah's story we see how "unable to speak" we become
when we do not believe God's words of promise to us.
Let us trust that nothing is impossible with God.
Today, let's look at the ways we are being invited
to be open, to surrender, to trust, to love.
Let us become instruments of God's plan
in ways we might least expect.My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory! Ps. 71
Intercessions:
To Christ our Redeemer who will come again to free from the power of death
all those who return to him, let us humbly pray:
Come Lord Jesus!As we proclaim your coming Lord,
- cleanse our hearts of every vain desire,Lord, may the Church which you founded,
- proclaim your greatness to all peoples.Your law is a light to my eyes,
- let it protect those who trust in you.You allow the joys of your coming to be foretold to us by your Church,
-may we receive you with eager devotion.O ROOT OF JESSE,
that stands for an ensign of the people,
before whom the kings keep silence
and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication:Come, to deliver us, and tarry not.
Closing Prayer:
Oh, Jesus who descended from Jesse,
you are a sign of God's love.
I feel hopeful and expectant,
filled with a rebirth of joy and love.I depend you so much.
You are a rock for my belief
and a sign of God's love.Fill me with your praise!
I want to sing your glory,
filled with joy
for the message of hope you send.I don't always understand
when you are acting on my behalf.
Thank you for the message of hope you send me.
Give me true faith and love
as I celebrate the mystery
of how you came to be with us.May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Praying Advent Home | Celebrating Christmas Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home
Daily Advent Prayer
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”Collect:
O God, eternal majesty, whose ineffable Word
the immaculate Virgin received through the message of an Angel
and so became the dwelling-place of divinity,
filled with the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant, we pray, that by her example
we may in humility hold fast to your will.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. *Daily Meditation:
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”Mary could become the “temple of God's Word”
because she was so ready to do God's will.
As we approach this anniversary of our redemption,
let's spend the day placing our life in God's hands
embracing the ways he will come to us
and let us be his instruments for others.Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
Intercessions:
To Christ our Lord, the light of the world , let us cry
with joy:
Come Lord Jesus!
Dispel our darkness with the light of your presence,
- and make us worthy of your gifts.
Save us, Lord our God,
- that we may praise your holy name this day.
Enkindle in our hearts the flame of your love,
- and make us long to be united with you.
You bore our infirmity,
-aid the sick and those who are to die this day.
O KEY OF DAVID,
and Scepter of the House of Israel,
who opens and no one shuts,
who shuts and no one opens:
Come, and bring forth the captive from his prison,
he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Closing Prayer:
Oh, King of us all,
I find myself standing before
your strength and splendor
watching, waiting
and filled with total joy.You have lifted my mind in hope.
Now help me to open my life
and the coming of the Spirit.I want to be like Mary, your mother.
Her wonderful courage and strength
inspire me to do the same.
She simply said Yes
and the impossible was done.Thank you for this Advent journey.
The anticipation has filled my life
and made me long for
a closer relationship with you.My life gets so busy that I forget to focus.
Thank you for your guidance.
Thank you for the quiet moments
when I have felt your love.Nothing will be impossible with God.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
