An Advent Prayer Service for a Spirit-Filled Christmas Celebration.
I have prepared here a service during advent for a gathering of family and friends. This is not my own but I compiled it from 3 sources that I would indicate below.
Hymn
Greeting
Leader: We begin our
prayer…In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Introduction
In
these four weeks of Advent each year, we are reminded that we are called to be
a people living in joyful hope, waiting for the time when Christ will come
again in glory. The Scriptures we hear during these weeks remind us that we are
to be ready for Christ whenever he comes, for we know not the day or the hour. We
have gathered here together now, to think about our lives and our commitment to
living in joyful hope, waiting for Christ. We will spend some time listening to
God’s word in Scripture, a word that calls us to renewal, to forgiveness, and
to peace.
As we
now light our wreath in the middle of this, the darkest time of the year, we,
as a church, a family, light candles reminding us that, in the darkest of
nights, Christ is our light, a light no darkness can overcome. At the same
time, when we focus on the evergreen wreath, let us be reminded that God is
ever present to us, even in the midst of death.
In this
spirit of hopefulness and trust, we say this pray together:-
All: O God our Father, we are waiting for your Son to come
to us. Help us to see him when he comes to us in the words of the Scripture, in
the love of our families, and in the daily events of our work, studies and
recreation. Amen.
(Someone lights the advent candle while a
hymn is sung)
Let us pray together our opening
prayer.
All: God
of Love,
Your
son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us.
He is a
sign of your love.
Help us
walk in that love during the weeks of Advent,
As we
wait and prepare for his coming.
We pray
in the name of Jesus, our Savior.
Amen.
Reading
Isaiah 40:3–5
A reading from the book of the prophet
Isaiah:
A voice is shouting:
Clear a path in the desert for the
Lord.
Build a straight road there for our
God.
Fill in the valleys and flatten the
mountains and hills.
Level the rough and rugged ground.
Then the glory of the Lord will appear
for all to see.
The Lord has promised this!
The
Word of the Lord.
Reflection
Sharing
· John
the Baptist told the people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. They
heard the Good News and responded. It might be easier for us to respond if John
the Baptist were alive preaching today. Of course, he isn’t, but there are
people like John who tell us about Jesus. Who are those people in your life? Take a moment now to
talk with your family about the answer to that question.
·
What
are some ways we respond to God’s invitation to live as Jesus did? Talk with
your family about the things that you do to help others and show your love.
Prayers of Petition
Leader: Sometimes one of
the most challenging things for us to do is to learn to find God in our lives
every day. Let us pray that Jesus will come more deeply into our lives and that
we will be aware of his presence.
Our
response is: Come, Lord Jesus!
Reader: Into our lives, we
pray . . .
All: Come,
Lord Jesus!
Reader: Into our troubled
world, we pray . . .
All: Come,
Lord Jesus!
Reader: Into our baking,
shopping, and gift wrapping, we pray . . .
All: Come,
Lord Jesus!
Reader: Into our hearts as
we care for those in need, we pray . . .
All: Come,
Lord Jesus!
Reader: Into our homes, we
pray . . .
All: Come,
Lord Jesus!
Leader: Let us pray
together the Hail Mary.
Leader: Let us pray
offer each other the Sign of Peace.
Dismissal
Leader: May the Lord bless
us, keep us from all evil and bring us to eternal life.
(all make the sign of the cross)
All: Amen
Leader: Let us praise the
Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Closing Hymn
Sources:-
1.Intergenerational Event—Advent, Loyola Press.
2. http://catholicism.about.com/od/catholicliving/ht/Adv_Wreath_Bl.htm
3. Oliver Crilly, Penitential Services, Twenty-Third Publications, Connecticut.
