ADVENT PRAYER

“Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!” (Luke 1:25)

Reader 1:

During Advent we look forward to Christmas. Christmas is a time of happiness and joy because at Christmas we celebrate the fact that God sent his son, Jesus, into the world to show us how to live and how to love.

ALL: Come Lord Jesus, come into our lives

Reader 2:

For thousands of years the people longed for the coming of Jesus. The prophets helped them prepare for his coming. For nine months his mother, Mary, waited for the birth of her son.

ALL: Come Lord Jesus, come into our homes

Reader 3:

During the season of Advent we try to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

ALL: Come Lord Jesus, come into our hearts

Reader 4:

Let us listen to the promise of the coming of Jesus in the words of John the Baptist.

Reader 5:

‘A stronger one than I comes after me’ John told the people. ‘I am not good enough to bend down and untie his shoe-laces.’

Reader 6:

The coming of Jesus at Christmas is a gift of love. God showed us the great love he had for us by sending his son into the world on the first Christmas night.

ALL: Come Lord Jesus, come into our hearts

Reader 7:

God our Father, help us bring the gift of love to all those we meet this Advent and Christmas; to our parents, to our friends at school and at play, to the people in our parish and local community.

ALL: Come Lord Jesus, come into our families

Reader 8:

The coming of Jesus at Christmas is a challenge to us to respond in our lives to the love God has shown to us.

ALL: Come Lord Jesus, come into our daily lives

Reader 9:

May the Lord bless and keep us; may he be with us to guide our words and actions as we prepare for the coming of Jesus this Christmas.

ALL: Amen