Saturday, November 26, 2005

It's beginning to look a lot like Advent

It was my privilege to kick off the Christian year with a Saturday vigil Mass for Advent I from the 1928 Prayer Book.
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It seemed to me that the following prayers from the morning service for individuals and families from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer (see pg. 588) would make a wonderful daily prayer to use through the course of Advent, speaking as it does on the themes of judgment and preparation.

Dedication of Soul and Body to God’s Service, with a Resolution to be growing daily in Goodness.
AND since it is of thy mercy, O gracious Father, that another day is added to our lives; We here dedicate both our souls and our bodies to thee and thy service, in a sober, righteous, and godly life: in which resolution, do thou, O merciful God, confirm and strengthen us; that, as we grow in age, we may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer for Grace to enable us to perform that Resolution.
BUT, O God, who knowest the weakness and corruption of our nature, and the manifold temptations which we daily meet with; We humbly beseech thee to have compassion on our infirmities, and to give us the constant assistance of thy Holy Spirit; that we may be effectually restrained from sin, and incited to our duty. Imprint upon our hearts such a dread of thy judgments, and such a grateful sense of thy goodness to us, as may make us both afraid and ashamed to offend thee. And, above all, keep in our minds a lively remembrance of that great day, in which we must give a strict account of our thoughts, words, and actions to him whom thou hast appointed the Judge of quick and dead, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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