Saturday, November 30

Antiphon

     O Unexpected Caller, Come

Scripture

     Matthew 24:39 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor God’s Child, but                        God only.

Prayerful Reflection

O Unexpected Caller, Come~
Open us to recognize you
in the surprising ways you appear to us.
Open our eyes to see your face
in the midst of those in despair.
Open our ears to hear your voice
in the chorus of those who cry.
Open our hearts to know your presence
in the yearnings of those
who are on the margins.
Open us to be aware of your presence
in unexpected people and places,
that we may understand and respond
to the ways you call us
to bring hope to the hopeless.
Amen.

Friday, November 29

Antiphon

     O Waker of the Sleeping, Come

Scripture

     Romans 13:11 Besides this you know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep.

Prayerful Reflection

O Waker of the Sleeping, Come~
Wake our bodies
as well as our souls this day.
Keep us from sleep-walking through
our regimented schedules,
our routine actions,
our superficial thoughts.
Grant us eyes to see deeper,
minds to know broader,
hearts to love wider.
Open us to stories and visions
of hope in this world,
that we may work with you
to awaken from those dreams
and birth them to life.
Amen.

Thursday, November 28

Antiphon

     O Lord of Light, Come

Scripture

     Isaiah 2:5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of God.

Prayerful Reflection

O Lord of Light, Come~
As we journey further into the Advent season,
and the nights become longer,
do not let the darkness fill our hearts.
Enkindle us to be a light of hope
to those living in the despair
of poverty, homelessness or hunger;
of war or natural disaster;
of loneliness, abuse, grief or illness.
Fill our hearts with
the burning love of Christ.
Grant that, through acts of mercy,
we may offer this light as hope
to the cold, dark places in our world.
Amen.

Wednesday, November 27

Antiphon

     O Transformer of Weapons, Come

Scripture

     Isaiah 2:4b . . . they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall          not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

Prayerful Reflection

O Transformer of Weapons, Come~
Grant us hope in your vision
of a transformed world,
a world where
different races relate to
rather than retaliate against each other,
distinct religions respect
rather than denigrate each other,
diverse nations feed
rather than fight each other.
Use our resources to nourish and build
rather than to starve and break down,
and with us create the world we long for,
a world which no longer learns war.
Amen.

Tuesday, November 26

Antiphon

     O Just Judge, Come

Scripture

     Psalm 122:5 There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.

Prayerful Reflection

O Just Judge, Come~
Make us humble in our judgments
of people and situations.
Remind us that we have
only a limited awareness,
that we know only a tiny portion
of the whole person, the whole situation.
Grant us faith
to trust you as ultimate judge,
to know you as just judge,
to believe in you as merciful judge.
Place our faith in the assurance of
the scope and depth
of your judgment,
which our limited understanding
can only but glimpse.
Amen.

Antiphon

    O Holy Word, Come

Scripture

    Isaiah 2:3b For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of God from Jerusalem.

Prayerful Reflection

O Holy Word, Come~
Your prophets have spoken your word of truth
since ancient days,
your child came to speak your word of truth
to the world years ago,
and we are called to speak your word of truth
today.
Open our ears to hear that word,
our eyes to see that word:
of justice for those who are oppressed,
of good news for those who are poor,
of hope for those in despair.
Anchor us in your word of hope,
in your promise of peace,
in your love for all people.
Make us conveyers of hope for our world.
Amen.