Advent Mid-Day Prayer Revised

Mid-day prayer for advent

From the First Sunday of Advent to Christmas Eve

Introductory Responses

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to God, Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever.   Amen.

or

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever.  Amen.

A hymn may be sung.

The Psalm

Psalm 118.19-25

19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *

            I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord.

20 “This is the gate of the Lord; *

            here the righteous may enter.”

21 I give thanks to you, for you answered me *

            and you have become my salvation.

22 The stone that the builders rejected *

            has become the chief cornerstone.

23 By the Lord has this been done; *

            it is marvellous in our eyes.

24 This is the day that the Lord has made; *

            let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Hosanna!  O Lord, save us!

            We pray to you, Lord, prosper our days!

Holy and mighty God, purify our hearts that we may follow and share in the radiance of your glory.  Amen.

The Reading

Isaiah 25.6-9

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.  And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever.  Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.  It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.  This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

After a period of silent reflection one of the following is said.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

or

Here what the Spirit is saying to the church.

Thanks be to God.

or

Holy Word, Holy Wisdom.

Thanks be to God.

The Prayers

Intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered.  Then the following is said.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Those who follow me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Source of all light, send your Son Jesus Christ to shine in our dark world.  Help us to prepare our hearts to receive him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray.

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us. 

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil. 

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.  Amen.

The Dismissal

Let us bless the Lord who comes among us.

Thanks be to God.

Liturgical Resources Used

The passage from Isaiah 25 is taken from the New Revised Standard Version, (c) 1989 by The National Council of Churches.

The Psalm is taken from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, (c) 2006 by The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and emended for Canadian orthography.

All other liturgical texts are taken from The Book of Alternative Services, (c) 1985 by The Anglican Church of Canada and emended for inclusive language by the Rev'd Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett.