Celtic Advent Liturgy - click here to download
Opening Responses
Days of heavy clouds stifling the sunlight;
the world burdened by greyness and gloom
Open our eyes, Lord, to the coming of your light
lifting the burden of darkness from our lives.
Chillness that seeps deep into bones;
hearts and spirits rigid with frost-hardness;
souls wrapped up against coldness and loneliness.
Open our souls, Lord, to the warmth of your coming
melting the hardness that keeps us from you and from each other.
Trees, branches bare against the steel skies;
Stems crumpled under weight of frost, weight of snow;
Last year’s leaves, blackened and slippery underfoot;
Nature oppressed by wintriness, yet resting, awaiting rebirth.
Cherish our hearts, Lord, oppressed by wintriness -
assure us of your coming of your call to new life.
Scripture Reading- from the Gospel of the Day or another of your choosing
Silence is kept for reflection
Litany of Praise
Gathering in this place where heaven and earth whisper greeting;
In this place where the High King of Heaven comes to meet us;
In the soft darkness of this moment, we kindle lights of hope for the world.
We join with the saints who have lived and loved this place to give glory and praise to God;
At this point, we are invited to light a candle of Hope.
Silence
During the Silence, you may like to gaze at the candle - or simply enjoy the peace and calm of the Prayer.
Intercessions - we pray from our hearts
Closing Responses
We take the light of our prayer into the world
to pray for those unable to pray;
to offer ourselves as answers to prayer.
We take the light of our compassion into the world:
to come alongside those who are suffering
anguish of heart
anguish of mind
and be as Christ for them.
We take the light of God's power into the world:
God's power made perfect in powerlessness
strength made known in weakness
life made known in dying.
God enters the hearts of all who pray and feel they are not heard
suffers their pain -
their humiliation -
carries the burdens of the world
and dies that we might live
May our God bless us
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
And until we meet again
May God hold us in the palm of his hand.
Amen