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First Sunday of Advent
Daily Advent Prayer

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Entrance Antiphon:
To you, my God, I lift my soul,
I trust in you; let me never come to shame.
Do not let my enemies laugh at me.

Collect:
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,
the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ
with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand,
they may be worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom.
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 .
*

Today's Readings

Daily Meditation:
Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem dwell secure.
We begin Advent coming to the Lord who promises to keep us safe. In awe we say:

“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul!”
Psalm 25

Let's begin this week with a deeply felt prayer.
Even if we don't know exactly what we need or long for,
today, let's try to express our desire for God's help and assistance.

The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah  Jeremiah 33

He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.

Psalm 25

Today's Daily Reflection

Intercessions:
To God our Father, who has given us the grace
to wait in  graceful hope for the revelation of
our Lord Jesus Christ, let us make our prayer:
Show us your mercy, Lord.

Sanctify us in mind and body,
- keep us without sin until the coming of your Son.

Make us walk this day in holiness,
- and live upright and devout lives in this world.

May we be clothed in our Lord Jesus Christ,
- and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Lord, help us to stand watchful and ready,
- until your Son is revealed in all his glory.


Closing Prayer:

Lord God,
I sense your power, your might
and I stand in awe, painfully aware
of how poor and weak I am before you.

As I begin this Advent journey,
teach me to turn to you in my fear and sorrow.
I don't want to keep making my heart hard against you
turning a deaf ear to your invitation.

Only you can help me to soften,
to be like the clay in your gentle potter's hands.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.


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Praying Advent Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home


Daily Advent Prayer

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

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,
one 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.  Isaiah 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.


Creighton U. Online Ministries Home Page | Praying Advent Home Page | Site Index

Praying Advent Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home


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 presence of your Son, whose coming we now await,
we may be tainted no longer by the corruption of former ways.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one 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.  Psalm 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.


Creighton U. Online Ministries Home Page | Praying Advent Home Page | Site Index


Praying Advent Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home


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.


Creighton U. Online Ministries Home Page | Praying Advent Home Page | Site Index

Praying Advent Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home


Daily Advent Prayer

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

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,
one 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.


Creighton U. Online Ministries Home Page | Praying Advent Home Page | Site Index

Praying Advent Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home


Daily Advent Prayer

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Collect:
S
tir 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,
one 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.


Creighton U. Online Ministries Home Page | Praying Advent Home Page | Site Index

Praying Advent Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries Home


Daily Advent Prayer
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Collect:
O God, who sent your Only Begotten Son into this world
to free the human race from its ancient enslavement,
bestow on those who devoutly await him
the grace of your compassion from on high,
that we may attain the prize of true freedom.
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.
*

Today's Readings

Daily Meditation:
Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
No more will you weep.

The prophetic promise is so great.
What our God has done is so complete a victory over sin and death.
In the midst of my day today, can I let myself imagining that salvation
touching and transforming me?
And can I patiently wait for God's work to take effect in me
- letting him open my heart, day by day?
Imagining “true liberty” today, let us walk in his ways.

No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
“This is the way; walk in it,”
when you would turn to the right or to the left.  

Isaiah 30

Today's Daily Reflection

Intercessions:
Let us pray to God our Father, who from of old has called
    his people to salvation:
    Lord, protect your people.

You promised to plant the seed of justice among your people,
- protect the holiness of your Church.

Lord, teach all men and women to listen to your word,
- and help believers to persevere in holiness.

Keep us in the love of your Spirit,
- that we may receive the mercy of your Son who is to come.

Father most merciful, strengthen us to the last,
- until the day of the coming of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Closing
Lord of Hope,
Dare I?  Can I really hope?
From out of the darkness
I sense a dim light ahead,
the light of your coming into the world.

I so long for the time
when you are no longer hidden from me
and my deepest desire is
to trust in your warm voice I hear behind me,
guiding me along a hidden path I do not know.

Dry my tears,
heal my wounds
and help me
to wait for the dawning of the dim light ahead,
with a brighter vision
of healing and freedom.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.


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* New English translation according to the Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal. 2010,
Copyright International Commission on English in the Liturgy.