Advent
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5
Saint and Major Saints' Days
We give thanks to the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:12
Confession of Sin Most merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen
The Lessons
The Lessons
Psalm 119
(1) Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. (2) Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. (3) They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. (4) You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
(5) Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! (6) Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. (7) I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. (8) I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
(9) How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (10) I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (12) Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
(13) With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. (14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (15) I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. (16) I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
(17) Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. (18) Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. (19) I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. (20) My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
(21) You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands. (22) Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. (23) Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. (24) Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
(5) Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! (6) Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. (7) I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. (8) I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
(9) How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (10) I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (12) Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
(13) With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. (14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (15) I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. (16) I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
(17) Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. (18) Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. (19) I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. (20) My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
(21) You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands. (22) Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. (23) Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. (24) Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Isaiah 2
(1) This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: (2) In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. (3) Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (4) He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
(5) Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. (6) You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans. (7) Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. (8) Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.
(9) So man will be brought low and mankind humbled-- do not forgive them. (10) Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty! (11) The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(5) Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. (6) You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans. (7) Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. (8) Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.
(9) So man will be brought low and mankind humbled-- do not forgive them. (10) Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty! (11) The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
1 Thessalonians 2
(13) And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (14) For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, (15) who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men (16) in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
(17) But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. (18) For we wanted to come to you-- certainly I, Paul, did, again and again-- but Satan stopped us. (19) For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? (20) Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(17) But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. (18) For we wanted to come to you-- certainly I, Paul, did, again and again-- but Satan stopped us. (19) For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? (20) Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Luke 20
(19) The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. (20) Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. (21) So the spies questioned him: 'Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. (22) Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?'
(23) He saw through their duplicity and said to them, (24) "Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?' (25) "Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (26) They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
(23) He saw through their duplicity and said to them, (24) "Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?' (25) "Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (26) They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Seasonal Collect: First Sunday of Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of
darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of
this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit
us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come
again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the
dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen.Personal Prayers and Reflection
Closing Prayers
Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory, and, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Conclude with following
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.This concludes the Daily Prayer
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord