O Come, Dawning Love
Advent Reflections 2022
By: Susanna M. Kawolics
O Come, Dawning Love
Advent Reflections 2022
By: Susanna M. Kawolics
First Sunday of Advent: Sunday, November 27,2022
Begin Reflections on: Monday, November 21
Readings:
Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44
The overall theme of this week: Hope
From See No Stranger (p. xv):
“We need a shift in consciousness and culture. A revolution of the heart. A new way of being and seeing that leaves no one outside our circle of care. A love without limit. Revolutionary love.”
This is the hope for the “womb” time of Advent.
Second Sunday of Advent: Sunday, December 4, 2022
Begin Reflections on: Monday, November 28
Readings:
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12
The overall theme of this week: Peace
From See No Stranger (p. 11):
“We are all indivisibly part of one another . . . We can look upon the face of anyone or anything around us and say– as a moral declaration and a spiritual, cosmological, and biological fact: You are a part of me I do not yet know.”
Following this practice is our hope for birthing peace into our world.
Third Sunday of Advent: Sunday, December 11, 2022
Begin Reflections on: Monday, December 5
Readings:
Isaiah 35:1-10
Psalm 146:5-10 or
Luke 1:47-55
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11
The overall theme of this week: Joy
From See No Stranger (p 284):
“Joy returns us to everything good and beautiful and worth fighting for. In joy, we see even darkness with new eyes.”
Choosing to let joy in gives us energy for birthing love into our world.
Fourth Sunday of Advent: Sunday, December 18, 2022
Begin Reflections on: Monday, December 12
Readings:
Isaiah 7:10-16
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-25
The overall theme of this week: Love
From See No Stranger (p. 13):
“Love is dangerous business . . . If you choose to see no stranger, then you must love people, even when they do not love you.”
This is the revolutionary love Jesus brought to our world. It is the love we are called to birth again.
Christmas Week: December 25, 2022
Begin Reflections on: Monday, December 19
Readings:
Isaiah 62:6-12
Psalm 97
Titus 3:4-7
Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20
As we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus, God’s love made flesh, we express our longing through the “O Antiphons.”
May our reflections and prayers inspire us to labor for hope, peace, joy and revolutionary love to be birthed in our country and our world.
Jump to:
Sunday, December 25
As I write these reflections, our 2022 mid-term elections are just around the corner. I find myself frightened, discouraged and sad for the vitriol that floods our landscapes, airways, media. I pray for a way forward which reaches across the divide of political parties, ideologies, and animosity. A month ago I had the fortune of reading the brilliant book See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valarie Kaur.* She writes, “The future is dark . . . But what if - what if this darkness is not the darkness of the tomb but the darkness of the womb? What if our America is not dead but a country that is waiting to be born?” In these words, which are especially appropriate as we enter into the Advent season, journeying as we are through the darkest days to the birth of the one who came as God’s Love made flesh, I find hope for the future, a way forward to peace that brings joy, all achieved through revolutionary love.
The theme of darkness being a womb has influenced the reflections in this booklet. Advent is a time when daylight is shortened, and invites us to prepare for birth. The reflections offered are a way to guide our Advent journeys as we prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus. We are invited to prayerfully come to a fuller understanding of who this child is, and as such, come to a deeper understanding of God.
Because God is so much greater than our minds can even begin to comprehend, we can only know God through glimpses, through reflections. That is what these names for God and these prayers are: reflections. They are inspired by the traditional “O Antiphons,” different names and images for God used during the last week of Advent, December 17th through 23rd. They have been part of the Christian tradition since the 7th or 8th century, and are proclaimed in the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” I have included them in this booklet on their traditional days. The other images used are my creations inspired by scripture.
The Bible verses used have been chosen based on the weekly Revised Common Lectionary readings for Advent and Christmas, Year A. The reflections for the Sunday readings begin on the Monday before so that we will have the opportunity to reflect on these Bible passages before hearing them in worship. There is also a prayer to guide each day.
By using the first person plural we, I imagine the community of people using this resource to be united in prayer. I would welcome any of your thoughts, comments, suggestions or reflections as you journey through this Advent season. Please visit my Facebook page:
facebook.com/AdventReflections to leave and view comments, or email me at: reverendsusi@gmail.com.
As you take time with this booklet during the season of Advent, may your reflections deepen your relationship with God so that you may more fully experience the celebration of the coming of Christ.
In Christ’s peace,
Susi Kawolics
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Translated: John Neale, 1818-66
( ) indicates date of traditional “O Antiphons”
(12/23) O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
(12/17) O come, our Wisdom from on high,
And order all things far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
(12/18) O come, O come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
(12/19) O come, O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save;
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
(12/20) O come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
(12/21) O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
(12/22) O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease,
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Hymn # 31 from Lutheran Worship
Author: French Processional
Tune: VENI EMMANUEL, 1st Published in1854
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Alternative verses by Susanna M. Kawolics ©2014
( ) indicates date of traditional “O Antiphons”
(12/17) O come, O Wisdom who from dawning day
Creates and shapes a new world, a new way.
You at the gateways of our choices stand
And guide us with your dancing, loving hand.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O God amazing, wise,
May we each day be open to surprise.
(12/18) O come, O God of Ancient Israel,
Who with your people faithfully do dwell.
You’ve shown yourself in tablets of law,
And burning bush, and cloud that wand’rers saw.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O God of Ancient Days,
We trust and rest our hearts in you always.
(12/19) O come, O come,
O Flower of Jesse’s Tree.
No one believed a shepherd King would be.
You chose the humblest of his sons to reign
To show your ways are not our ways, again.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Flower of Jesse’s Tree,
Bring birth and newness from the smallest seed.
(12/20) O come, O Key of David, open wide
Our locked-down hearts so peace may come inside.
Release the hold of grudges past
And tenderly toward hope lead us at last.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Key of David, free
Our hearts from hatred that they healed might be.
(12/21) O come, O Dayspring, in our darkest night
With your bright stars and moon disperse our fright.
Weave light through shadows, make all things new
And bring a wholeness only found through you.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O God of Radiant Light
And put the darkness in our lives to flight.
(12/22) O come, Uniter of the Nations, hold
All on this earth in your close, loving fold.
Heal wounds and mend together broken hearts.
Bring universal peace from varied parts.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O God of Unity,
Grant that your realm of love might come to be.
(12/23) O come, O come, Emmanuel,
Be birthed again that all earth be made well.
Inspire us all to make your presence known
By tending seeds of justice you have sown.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall through and in us once more come and dwell.
Monday, November 21
Antiphon - O Holy Word, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 2:3b For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of God from Jerusalem.
Prayerful Reflection
O Holy Word, Come~
Instruct us today.
Your prophets have been speaking your word
to your people since ancient days.
Your child came to embody your word
to the world millennia ago.
You call us to enflesh your holy word
among your children today.
Open our ears to hear that word,
our hearts to embrace that word,
our mouths to proclaim that word:
Justice for those who are oppressed;
Good news for those who are poor;
Hope for those in despair.
Anchor us in your word of hope,
your promise of peace,
your love for all people.
Make us conveyors of hope for our world.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 22
Antiphon: O Just Judge, Come
Scripture: Psalm 122:5 There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
Prayerful Reflection
O Just Judge, Come~
Make us humble in our judgments
of people and situations.
Remind us that each person we meet
has been created by you,
and is loved by you.
Open our minds to the wonder
of each and every human being.
Grant us faith to trust you as ultimate judge,
to know you as just judge,
to believe in you as merciful judge.
Let any judgments in our hearts be guided by
your wisdom and love,
that through our humility and wonder,
we may bring the hope for peace
into our world.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 23
Antiphon: O Transformer of Weapons, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 2:4b . . . they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
Prayerful Reflection
O Transformer of Weapons, Come~
Grant us hope in your vision
of a transformed, rebirthed world:
A world in which
different races relate to
rather than retaliate against each other,
distinct religions respect
rather than denigrate each other,
diverse nations feed
rather than fight each other.
Use our resources to nourish and build
rather than to starve and break down.
Companion us in creating
the world we hope for,
a world which no longer learns war.
Amen.
Thursday, November 24
Antiphon: O Lord of Light, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 2:5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of God.
Prayerful Reflection
O Lord of Light, Come~
Give us hope in the darkness
as we journey further into Advent,
and the nights become longer.
Enkindle us to be a light
to those living in the despair
of poverty, homelessness, hunger,
of war, danger, natural disaster,
of loneliness, grief, illness.
Fill our hearts with the burning love of Christ, whose fiery compassion brought new life.
Grant that, through acts of mercy,
prayers of petition, and words of care,
we may offer this light as hope
to the cold, dark places in our world.
Amen.
Friday, November 25
Antiphon: O Waker of the Sleeping, Come
Scripture: Romans 13:11 Besides this you know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep.
Prayerful Reflection
O Waker of the Sleeping, Come~
Awaken our bodies
as well as our souls this day.
Keep us from sleep-walking through our days
with their predictable patterns,
well-worn weariness,
dry, dismal doldrums.
Grant us eyes to see beyond the peripheral,
minds to imagine beyond boundaries,
hearts to love beyond measure.
Open us to your new ideas, images, visions
that will bring your Dominion to earth.
Rouse us, energize us, inspire us
that your hopes and dreams for our world
may be birthed into life.
Amen.
Saturday, November 26
Antiphon: O Unexpected Caller, Come
Scripture: Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor God’s Child, but God only.
Prayerful Reflection
O Unexpected Caller, Come~
Open us to recognize you
in the surprising ways you appear to us.
Open our eyes to see you
in the faces of those who despair.
Open our ears to hear you
in the pleas of those who seek help.
Open our hearts to recognize you
in the yearnings of those on the margins.
Open in us an awareness of your presence
in unexpected people and places,
that we may understand and respond
to all the ways you call us
to bring hope to the hopeless
and good news to the poor.
Amen.
Sunday, November 27
Prayer for the First Sunday of Advent
O Come, God of our Hope~
We invite your word into our hearts,
that it may awaken us,
and alert us
to your presence in our lives,
to your hope for our world.
Call us out of our apathy
as we seek to live as people
who unite, rather than divide,
who build up, rather than destroy,
who spread light, rather than darkness.
Make your vision and hope
for this world become our own,
and grant us the wisdom, courage
and strength
to create that world with you.
In the name of Jesus, our Hope,
Amen.
Monday, November 28
Antiphon: O Spirit of Understanding, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 11:2 And the Spirit of God shall rest
upon this branch, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might . . .
Prayerful Reflection
O Spirit of Understanding, Come~
Take hold of our hearts
when we simply cannot understand
the thoughts, the actions,
the motivation of another.
Make us wonder at the amazing uniqueness
of each person.
Give us your spirit of understanding
to be patient, to truly listen deeply,
to hear beyond the spoken word
into the wounds of the past,
into the longings of the heart.
Reveal to us some connection,
that we might come to
a peaceful understanding and
an acceptance of each other.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 29
Antiphon: O Little Child, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 11:6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
Prayerful Reflection
O Little Child, Come~
Give us a child-like spirit
to love and welcome Jesus,
and a child-like heart
to trust in the vision of
your peaceable kingdom.
Fill us with a spirit of innocence,
a belief in the possibility of the impossible,
an openness to
the acceptance of differences.
Open our hearts to strive for resolution to conflict
as we seek to live
as your peaceful children
this day and always.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 30
Antiphon: O Abounding Peace, Come
Scripture: Psalm 72:7 In those days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
Prayerful Reflection
O Abounding Peace, Come~
Co-create with us the world you long for.
Fill us with your vision, your hope,
your deepest yearning for peace on earth.
Align our hearts with yours,
that the desires of your heart may become
the desires of ours as well.
Grant us your wisdom,
guidance, and strength
as we rise to the challenge
of building a world
with justice and equity for all.
Labor alongside us to pave a way
for righteousness to flourish
and peace to abound.
Amen.
Thursday, December 1
Antiphon: O Refreshing Rain, Come
Scripture: Psalm 72:6 May the ruler be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!
Prayerful Reflection
O Refreshing Rain, Come~
Our souls thirst for your refreshment,
our hearts long for your wellspring of love,
our bodies crave your soothing touch.
Like the rain that refreshes
the sun- and wind-parched earth,
soak us with your grace,
deep into the ground of our being.
Shower us with your compassion,
till it permeates our very core.
Drench us with your expansive love
that embraces all people.
May we, thus refreshed and renewed,
saturate the world with your peace.
Amen.
Friday, December 2
Antiphon: O Welcoming Host, Come
Scripture: Romans 15:7 Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Prayerful Reflection
O Welcoming Host, Come~
Open the doors of our hearts
to receive strangers in peace,
be they person, idea, or belief.
May we invite in with wonder
that which brings us discomfort,
or jars us from our certitude.
Open our eyes, ears and minds,
to recognize your presence in all.
Enable us to embrace
at the core of each and every person,
the holiness, which runs deeper
than any differences between us.
Move us to become
peace-filled, Christ-like welcoming hosts.
Amen.
Saturday, December 3
Antiphon: O Voice in the Wilderness, Come
Scripture: Matthew 3:3 . . . the voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make the paths of the Lord straight.”
Prayerful Reflection
O Voice in the Wilderness, Come~
Call us out of our relentless, rugged routines,
our hectic, harried schedules,
our bustling, brimming surroundings.
Lead us into a barren wilderness
devoid of distractions and noise.
Bring us to a simple site
of peaceful solitude, serenity and calm.
Thus quieted, fill our imaginations
with dreams of peace and justice,
for our own lives, and for the world.
Give us the courage to prepare that path
straight to your heart of love.
Amen.
Sunday, December 4
Prayer for the Second Sunday of Advent
O Come, God of Peace~
Break us open.
Open our souls to receive the love you shower upon your thirsting people,
Open our ears to hear and understand those different from us,
Open our hearts and wills
to strive for the peace you envision for our divided, war-torn world.
Give us the courage
to leave our comfort zones,
the desire
to spend time with you in the quiet,
that we may truly hear your call.
Grant us the wisdom, courage and strength to go where you lead us,
building your realm of peace and justice.
In the name of Jesus, our Peace,
Amen.
Monday, December 5
Antiphon: O Allayer of Fears, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 35:4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will
come . . .”
Prayerful Reflection
O Allayer of Fears, Come~
Take away our fears of danger,
of loss, of scarcity.
Fill us with a trust in
your promise of care.
Remove our worries of rejection,
unworthiness and loneliness.
Assure us of your unconditional love.
Remind us that you walk
each step of life’s journey with us,
that you accompany us
with your abiding presence.
Believing in that promise,
grant us joy of heart and peace of mind,
that we may be strong and secure,
living without fear.
Amen.
Tuesday, December 6
Antiphon: O Reviver of Deserts, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 35:1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus, it shall blossom abundantly . . .
Prayerful Reflection
O Reviver of Deserts, Come~
Refresh our bone-dry world in all the places
where gladness is absent,
where compassion is scarce,
where peace is nowhere to be found.
Enter in with your transforming love,
delighting our hearts,
bringing the gift of joy.
Remind us of the power
of an encouraging word, a gentle touch,
of a listening ear, a consoling gesture,
that we may plant the seed of your love
for joy to blossom and grow
in the desolate deserts of our world.
Amen.
Wednesday, December 7
Antiphon: O Lifter of Burdens, Come
Scripture: Psalm 146:8 God opens the eyes of those who are blind. God lifts up those who are bowed down; God loves the righteous.
Prayerful Reflection
O Lifter of Burdens, Come~
Grant us the wisdom to recognize
that which weighs us down,
and the humility to give
those burdens to you.
Summon us to lift up those
bowed down with the weight
of hardship and trouble;
those bent low with the load
of heartache and fear.
Give us a heart to lighten
the burdens of others,
so that they may walk
with eyes, hearts and souls up-lifted,
and know the joy you intend for us all.
Amen.
Thursday, December 8
Antiphon: O Rewarder of Patience, Come
Scripture: James 5:8 . . . so you also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Prayerful Reflection
O Rewarder of Patience, Come~
Teach us to live in patient hope.
Too often we seek the immediate answer,
the quick fix, the spontaneous response.
We are unwilling to wait for the wisdom
that comes from the pause, from the quiet,
from the listening to you.
Too often we give up hope
when the answers do not come swiftly,
when relationships are not mended instantly,
when our plans move backward,
or stand still.
Help us to take the long view, the eternal view,
and give us patient trust to wait for you
in joyful hope.
Amen.
Friday, December 9
Antiphon: O Compassionate Healer, Come
Scripture: Matthew 11:5 . . . those who are blind receive their sight and those who are lame walk; people with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear . . .
Prayerful Reflection
O Compassionate Healer, Come~
Mend our hurting world.
You came in the person of Jesus,
offering healing to broken and bruised
bodies and souls.
You call us to be the compassionate
Body of Christ in the world.
May we offer a glimpse of your love
to eyes that do not see your presence;
words of your hope
to ears that do not hear your loving call;
a way of wholeness and meaning
to feet that search for direction.
Make us instruments of your healing and joy
in this world.
Amen.
Saturday, December 10
Antiphon: O Caring Creator, Come
Scripture: Psalm 146:5-6 Happy is the one whose help
is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in God . . .
who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them . . .
Prayerful Reflection
O Caring Creator, Come~
Fill us with wonder as we praise you
for bringing into being the cosmos:
the unfathomable heavens above,
and the earth beneath our feet.
All creatures depend on you
for their every breath, for their very lives.
And yet, incomprehensible God,
you desire to know each of us intimately,
and you tenderly call each one of us by name.
The loving compassion you show to every person
is almost too wondrous for us to bear.
For this amazing love and care,
our hearts overflow with gratitude and joy.
Amen.
Sunday, December 11
Prayer for the Third Sunday of Advent
O Come, God of our Joy~
Our hearts open in gratitude
for the joy in your created world,
for the incredible love you show
each and every one of us.
Lift our burdens, allay our fears,
grant us trust in your abiding presence.
Heal our woundedness, restore our hope,
open our hearts to you and to others.
Give us the wisdom, courage and strength to bring the joy
of your love, compassion and mercy
to transform the earth.
In the name of Jesus, our Joy,
Amen.
Monday, December 12
Antiphon: Shepherd of Israel, Come
Scripture: Psalm 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!
Prayerful Reflection
O Shepherd of Israel, Come~
Be our gentle shepherd,
as you were to your people in ancient days.
Lead us beside still waters in this time
of busyness, of chaos, of noise.
Restore our weary souls.
Find us in our wanderings,
and guide us back to the arms
of your tender embrace.
Bless us with your goodness and mercy
to follow us and accompany us
every step of our way.
Bring us to know peace and rest,
that we might dwell in your heart of love
now and forevermore.
Amen.
Tuesday, December 13
Antiphon: O Giver of Signs, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 7:13-14 Hear then, O house of David! God will give you a sign: a young woman shall conceive and bear a child, whom she shall call Immanuel.
Prayerful Reflection
O Giver of Signs, Come~
Reveal yourself to us again this day.
So often we search for you in big miracles,
and we miss the small signs
of your presence which surround us .
May we catch glimpses of you
in the beauty of creation,
in the presence of friends and family,
in the tender acts of love we witness,
in the peace and comfort of your word.
Open our eyes to see
and our hearts to recognize
the multitude of ways
you reveal your love in our lives.
Amen.
Wednesday, December 14
Antiphon: O Merciful Savior, Come
Scripture: Matthew 1:21 She will bear a child whom you will name Jesus, for that child will save the people from their sins.
Prayerful Reflection
O Merciful Savior, Come~
Save us from our sins,
from all that we have done
and have failed to do.
Save us from our selfishness,
from all that we want and all that we waste.
Save us from our discrimination
by race, gender, orientation, religion.
Save us from our divisiveness,
and our failure to grasp
our deep connection to each other.
Save us from our apathy,
our aimless wandering, our inaction.
As we celebrate your coming into the world,
may your gift of salvation lead us
to repentance and to love for all people.
Amen.
Thursday, December 15
Antiphon: O Restorer of Lives, Come
Scripture: Psalm 80:19 Restore us, O Lord, God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Prayerful Reflection
O Restorer of Lives, Come~
Let your face shine upon us.
In those times when it feels like
the world is conspiring against us,
seeking to destroy us,
casting a dark cloud over us,
give us a twinkling of hope.
Grant us a ray of light,
a glimpse of joy,
a glimmer of renewal,
that we might know you are with us
all along life’s journey.
Light our way, warm our hearts,
restore our joy
with belief in the promise of
your love and salvation.
Amen.
Friday, December 16
Antiphon: O Bestower of Grace, Come
Scripture: Romans 1:7a To all God’s beloved in Rome who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God . . .
Prayerful Reflection
O Bestower of Grace, Come~
Fill us with your spirit,
your passion, your love for your people
as you have filled your saints
throughout the ages.
Through your grace,
open us to generous service,
to abundant sharing, to selfless caring
that we may imitate your Child.
As Jesus came to minister
to those around him,
so lead us to be like him,
that the love he enfleshed
may once again be born into our world through our love and service to others.
Amen.
Saturday, December 17
Antiphon: O Wisdom of God, Come
Scripture: Matthew 1:20 But as Joseph considered this, behold, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream . . .
Prayerful Reflection
O Wisdom of God, Come~
Make your voice heard in our world.
You have been present since
the dawn of creation.
Your wisdom ordered all things,
and still speaks in our world today.
Grant us the desire to listen for your voice
and to hear it however it comes to us:
through scripture, through prayer,
through people, through angels,
through dreams, through ideas.
May your voice within us never be silenced,
and may we be guided by your wisdom
in our thoughts, words and deeds
to make your love real in this world.
Amen.
Sunday, December 18
Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
O God of Love, Come~
O Lord of Ancient Israel, Come~
You led our spiritual ancestors
from enslavement to freedom,
giving them signs of your presence
along their journey.
Lead us and make yourself known to us
this day.
Fill us with your spirit of understanding, your wisdom, your grace,
that our words and actions
may bring joy to you,
and love to the world.
May your love be made flesh
in each of us and all people,
that it may be born into this world
again and again.
In the name Jesus, our Love,
Amen.
Monday, December 19
Antiphon: O Flower of Jesse’s Stem, Come
Scripture: Luke 2:4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
Prayerful Reflection
O Flower of Jesse’s Stem, Come~
Inspire us to see with your eyes.
Long ago you led David from weakling to hero,
from pasture to palace,
from shepherd to king.
You see beyond the surface of our lives,
past the constraints of our circumstances,
further than the future of our imagining.
Plant in us the seeds
for a wider, broader, deeper vision
for our own lives, for the lives of others,
for our country, and for our world.
Inspire us to live into our potential,
to trust in your guidance as we blossom
into becoming all that you created us to be.
Amen.
Tuesday, December 20
Antiphon: O Key of David, Come
Scripture: Isaiah 62:10 Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples.
Prayerful Reflection
O Key of David, Come~
Unlock the gates
so we may go through:
the gates of fear,
the gates of injustice,
the gates of prejudice,
the gates of judgment,
and come out the other side.
Open with your keys of love, grace and mercy
our minds, our spirits, our hearts,
so that we might prepare a path,
clearing the obstacles that block the way
to the entrance of your Dominion
in heaven and on earth.
Amen.
Wednesday, December 21
Antiphon: O Radiant Dawn, Come
Scripture: Psalm 97:11 Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Prayerful Reflection
O Radiant Dawn, Come~
Our hearts long for the light on this,
the shortest, darkest day of the year.
The night looms long and laborious.
Our worries overwhelm us,
our fears overrun us,
our anxieties overtake us.
Soothe us, calm us, hold us tenderly
until the dawn comes
with the promise of light,
the promise of a new day.
May we rise with the sun, alight in
your promise of hope,
your gift of salvation,
your offering of amazing grace.
Let your face shine upon us
as we embrace this day.
Amen.
Thursday, December 22
Antiphon: O King of All Nations, Come
Scripture: Psalm 97:1 God reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
Prayerful Reflection
O King of All Nations, Come~
Fill our hearts with gladness
that we may rejoice with the earth:
You reign! Your love reigns over us all!
Remind us again that under your Dominion,
we are, each and every one of us,
deeply, unconditionally and forever
loved by you.
Open our eyes to see your image
shining through all your children.
Open our hearts to care for each other,
as you do.
Reign in our lives, and shape us
into a worldwide family,
filled with kindness and compassion
for one another.
May we rejoice to live
in your love-filled, all-inclusive embrace.
Amen.
Friday, December 23
Antiphon: O Emmanuel, Come
Scripture: Titus 3:4-6 When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, we were saved . . . in virtue of God’s mercy . . . which God poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Prayerful Reflection
O Emmanuel, Come~
Save us again through
your goodness and loving kindness.
You have made yourself known through
your abundant mercy
your steadfast compassion,
your saving grace.
Fill us full of your spirit,
shine through our thoughts,
words and deeds,
that you may appear always and everywhere.
May all people know “God with us, Emmanuel”
as you are made flesh again and again
in our hearts and in our world.
Amen.
Saturday, December 24
Antiphon: O Herald of Peace, Come
Scripture
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, goodwill among people.
Prayerful Reflection
O Herald of Peace, Come~
Enter into the warring madness of countries,
into the hurtful conflicts of relationships,
into the anxious worries of our hearts.
We have prepared our hearts
during this Advent time
to hear and respond
as you proclaim your desire
for peace and goodwill among your people.
Open our eyes to a variety of viewpoints,
our ears to compassionate listening,
our mouths to respectful dialogue,
our hearts to deep connectedness.
May your profound love for all your children
and for the world flow through us
that we may strive to be
purveyors of peace in this world.
Amen.
Sunday, December 25
Antiphon: O Child of Mary, Come
Scripture
Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn child, whom she wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Prayerful Reflection
O Child of Mary, Come~
Fill us with gratitude for the gift of your birth.
Our hearts can scarcely take in
the love that you have shown us.
You so longed for communion with us,
so yearned to know us,
so desired for us to know you,
that in love you came as one of us.
You came to feel human joy, love, anger and fear,
to experience hunger, thirst,
comfort and pain,
to endure disgrace, rejection
and a violent death.
For your birth, life, death and resurrection,
we join with the heavenly host
to praise you in the highest on this joyful day.
Amen.
May you and your loved ones experience the fullness of Christ’s presence this Christmas season
and God’s peace in your hearts as you enter the New Year.
I would welcome any of your thoughts, comments, suggestions or reflections as you journey through this Advent season. Please share on this website: Fedchurch.org/adventreflections
or on my facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AdventReflections,
or email to: reverendsusi@gmail com