Prayer for Each Day

Advent 3

Song

Psalm

The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
and the firmament shows forth the work of God’s hands.
Day unto day takes up the story
and night unto night makes known the message.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard
yet their span extends through all the earth,
their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

There God has placed a tent for the sun;
it comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent,
rejoices like a champion to run its course.

At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun;
to the furthest end of the sky is its course.
There is nothing concealed from its burning heat.

Reading

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

or

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Song

Silence

Litany of praise

We give you thanks, O God, for revealing your love in creation,
—We bless your holy name.

For human beings made in your image and called to live in your communion,
—We bless your holy name.

For the promise of your reign in justice and peace, in holiness and charity,
—We bless your holy name.

For the revelation of your Kingdom in our midst through your Son, Jesus Christ,
—We bless your holy name.

For his humble birth and his holy life, for his words and his miracles,
—We bless your holy name.

For his sufferings and his death, for his resurrection and his entry into glory,
—We bless your holy name.

For your Church, called to be a place of communion for every human being,
—We bless your holy name.

For the coming of your Kingdom within us by the gift of the Holy Spirit,
—We bless your holy name.

By the coming of your Kingdom at the end of time, when you will be all in all,
—We bless your holy name.

Our Father

Prayer

God of all eternity, you know that our human language is almost incapable of expressing our longing for a communion with you. But you grant us the gift of a life hidden in you. And the sun rises on a new day, a day of trusting.

or

Christ Jesus, be our peace; you tell us: Don’t be afraid; I am here.

Songs