4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT

BEFORE your prayers - collect 4 candles and be ready to light them during this time of prayer. If you have no candles just omit the candle lighting.

INTRODUCTION: Advent is a season of expectation and preparation as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ and looks ahead to his return as judge at the end of time. During Advent we are reminded to be alert, watchful and expectant as we pray for our Lord’s second coming. Today on the 4th and final Sunday of Advent we remember Mary a young unmarried woman. A woman who agreed to be the mother of God and brought God into this world.

Light the 3 Candles from last week and the 2 weeks before, then the 4th candle.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus light of the world, blessed is Gabriel who brought good news and blessed is Mary your mother. Heavenly Father, you exalted the humble and meek: give us humble and contrite hearts. Lord Jesus, you grew towards birth in the Virgin’s womb: be planted in our hearts and lives. Holy Spirit, you overshadowed Mary, that she might become the God-bearer: fill us with your heavenly gifts. Bless your Church preparing for Christmas; and bless us your children, who long for your coming. AMEN

READING: When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins. (1 Corinthians 4.5)

SEASONAL PRAYER: Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ has given us a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, forgive us our sins, open our eyes to God’s truth, strengthen us to do God’s will

and give us the joy of his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blow out the 4 candles and keep them for Christmas Day.

Readings: Isaiah 7v10-16; Psalm 80v1-8&18-20; Romans 1v1-7; Matthew 1v18-end.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: As our Advent journey draws to its close, let’s stop and ask ourselves the question “what have we been doing and how have we spent our time of watching, waiting and getting ready for the day when the Lord returns?” For many, the last few weeks have been a time of effort, energy and money expended in all sorts of exertions in a futile attempt to create a perfect Christmas day. For we live in a world that tempts and drives us to excesses that damage our physical, psychological and spiritual health.

However, whatever else we have been doing this Advent, we still have time to stop and call to mind the future when we shall meet our Lord and God face-to-face. For we have a God who came to earth to save us. The son that Joseph was told by Gabriel, in Matthew, is the promised one being carried into the world by Mary. The long awaited Messiah that the prayer in the psalm is asking for. The Messiah who would be recognised because of the sign given to Ahaz in the readings from Isaiah. The one who the letter to the Romans tells us is a descendent of David and the son of God. The one resurrected from the dead who gives grace to all who belong to him and calls them into his service. So let us stop and give thanks for the Messiah, who lived and died and rose again to save us from our sins; and let’s give thanks that it is him who is coming to judge us. For he loves us beyond measure and wants us to be saved.

Let us Pray: Heavenly Father and blessed Redeemer, who chose and prepared Mary to be the mother of your promised saviour. Fill us with your grace to accept your holy will for us so we may be ready to greet Jesus when he comes again to judge us. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.