Evening Prayer, Second Week Of Advent

Call to Worship with Call to Prayer

Hymn:  A Voice Cries Out (or your choice) (Advent Selected #1 Michael Joncas) Console my people, the ones dear to me, Speak to the heart of Jerusalem: The time of your mourning is ended now, The Lord of life will come. (Refrain) A voice cries out in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord! A voice cries out in the wilderness: Make straight a highway for God! Every valley is made a plain, Every mountain is leveled; The glory of God shall then be revealed, And the nations will sing in praise.(refrain) A voice shouts: "Cry!" O what shall I cry? All flesh is like grass and its flowers: The grass may wither, the flower may fade, But the Word of the Lord is forever.(refrain) Zion, shout from the mountain top, Lift up your voice, O Jerusalem And say to the people of God's own land, "Behold, Behold your God!"(refrain) The Lord will apear as a shepherd, Holding his lambs in his arms, Keeping his flock so close to his heart Leading them all, old and young. (refrain)

Psalm 126: Antiphon - The Lord shall come with peace and favor When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the Watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Reading: Philippians 1:4-6,8-11 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and ministers: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Brothers and Sisters: I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right that I should think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, you who are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Second Sunday of Advent (Philippians 1: 4-6,8-11) See more presentations by SaintPaulMinistries

Canticle of Mary Antiphon:     The Lord will make the darkest places bright My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. All: Give praise to God, our Creator, to our Redeemer, Jesus the Christ, and to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts, now and forever. Amen.

Intercessions: Leader: We await your coming and with joyful hearts we pray: All: Come, Lord Jesus! Leader: You come to bring us hope and courage: All: May we be people of hope and courage in our world today. Leader: You come as reflection of God’s love: All: May our actions of justice and care reflect this same love. Leader: We await your coming and with joyful hearts we pray: All: Come, Lord Jesus!

Our Father: Prayer: O God, open our hearts to prepare the way for the coming of Christ. Guide us in your ways of compassion so that we may extend your love and mercy to all people. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Eternal Word, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Blessing: God of compassion and mercy, bless us as we begin this day in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.