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December 4, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 26, verse 1-6:In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts.Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation thatkeeps faith. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds aresteadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, forthe LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. He humbles those whodwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground andcasts it down to the dust. Feet trample it down — the feet of theoppressed, the footsteps of the poor.We come together to light a candle at Christ’s table as members of his family.When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories about thepast and plan for the future. Today we remember that we must humbleourselves when we accept Christ.We light this candle as God’s love is revealed in Christ Jesus.Prayer:God of love, Father of all,the darkness that covered the earthhas given way to the bright dawn of your Word made flesh.Make us a people of this light.Make us faithful to your Wordthat we may bring your life to the waiting world.Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.-International Committee on English in the LiturgySongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 5, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 29, verses 17-24:In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field andthe fertile field seem like a forest? In that day the deaf will hear thewords of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blindwill see. Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; the needy willrejoice in the Holy One of Israel. The ruthless will vanish, themockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cutdown—those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, whoensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive theinnocent of justice.Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to thedescendants of Jacob:“No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale.When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, theywill keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the HolyOne of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. Those whoare wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complainwill accept instruction.”We come together to light a candle at Christ’s table as members of his family.When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories about thepast and plan for the future. Today we remember the generations radicallychanged by faith in Jesus Christ.We light this candle as God’s love is revealed in Christ Jesus.Prayer:O God, who hast caused this holy night to shine with the illumination of thetrue Light: Grant us, we beseech thee, that as we have known the mystery ofthat Light upon earth, so may we also perfectly enjoy him in heaven; wherewith thee and the Holy Spirit he liveth and reigneth, one God, in gloryeverlasting. Amen-1979 Book of Common PrayerSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 6, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6:“For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”We come together to light two candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember our family stories toldby the prophets promising Christ’s coming and salvation.We light this second candle with hope found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Almighty God and Father of light,a child is born to us an a Son is given to us.Your eternal Word leaped down from heavenin the silent watches of the night,and now your Church is filled with wonderat the nearness of her God.Open our hearts to receive His lifeand increase our vision with the rising of dawn,that our lives may be filled with His glory and His peace,who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.-International Committee on English in the LiturgySongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 7, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 35, verses 1-10:The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoiceand blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoicegreatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, thesplendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, thesplendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees thatgive way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; yourGod will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution hewill come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened andthe ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, andthe mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wildernessand streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, thethirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay,grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; itwill be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on thatWay. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go abouton it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not befound there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and thosethe LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing;everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtakethem, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.We come together to light two candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember that in Christ, we canblossom, grow, and our thirst is quenched.We light this second candle with the hope found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Lord God, we praise you for creating man, and still more for restoring him inChrist. Your Son shared our weakness: may we share his glory, for he livesand reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God—forever and ever. Amen.-Liturgy of the Hours, Fridays in AdventSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 8, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 30, verses 19-21 and 23-26:People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. Howgracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he willanswer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and thewater of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your owneyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, yourears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and thefood that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In thatday your cattle will graze in broad meadows. The oxen and donkeysthat work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork andshovel. In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams ofwater will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. The moonwill shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter,like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises ofhis people and heals the wounds he inflicted.We come together to light two candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember that Christ reveals thecorrect path for our lives.We light this second candle with the hope found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Lamb of God,You once came to rid the world of sin;cleanse me now from every stain of sin.Lord, you came to save what was lost;come once again with Your salvific powerso that those You redeemed will not be punished.I have come to know You in faith;may I have unending joywhen You come again in glory. Amen.-New Saint Joseph People's Prayer BookSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 9, 2015A reading from Genesis chapter 3, verses 9-15 and 20:But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “Iheard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so Ihid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eatenfrom the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said,“The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from thetree, and I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is thisyou have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,“Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You willcrawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And Iwill put enmity between you and the woman, and between youroffspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike hisheel.”Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of allthe living.We come together to light two candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember our brother, Adam andsister, Eve whose sin was forgiven by Christ’s defeat of sin and death.We light this second candle with hope found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Father, in the wilderness of the Jordanyou sent a messenger to prepare people's heartsfor the coming of your Son.Help me to hear his words and repent of my sins,so that I may clearly see the way to walk,the truth to speak, and the life to live for Him,our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen-Advent Prayer to be Freed from Sin and DeathSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 10, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 40, verses 25-31:“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the HolyOne. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each ofthem by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not oneof them is missing.Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way ishidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God?” Do younot know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God theCreator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, andhis understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the wearyand increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired andweary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope inthe LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.We come together to light two candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember God’s love never fails—it is always there waiting on us.We light this second candle with hope found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:God our Father,you loved the world so muchyou gave your only Son to free usfrom the ancient power of sin and death.Help us who wait for his comingand lead us to true liberty.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Sonwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, forever and ever. Amen-Liturgy of the Hours, Fridays in AdventSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 11, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 41, verses 13-20:For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right handand says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, youworm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,”declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. “See, I willmake you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth.You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills tochaff. You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and agale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory inthe Holy One of Israel.“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tonguesare parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God ofIsrael, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights,and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools ofwater, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert thecedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set junipers in thewasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see andknow, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD hasdone this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.We come together to light two candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember that God will neverabandon us.We light this second candle with hope found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:All-powerful God, help us to look forward in hope to the coming of our Savior.May we live as he taught, ready to welcome him with burning love and faith.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reignswith you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen-Liturgy of the Hours, Fridays in AdventSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 12, 2015A reading from Isaiah chapter 48, verses 17-19:This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “Iam the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, whodirects you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention tomy commands, your peace would have been like a river, your wellbeing like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been likethe sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name wouldnever be blotted out nor destroyed from before me.”We come together to light two candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember the Lord teaches uswhat is best and directs us in way we should go.We light this second candle with hope found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Father in heaven,our hearts desire the warmth of your loveand our minds are searching for the light of your Word.Increase our longing for Christ our Saviorand give us the strength to grow in love,that the dawn of his comingmay find us rejoicing in his presenceand welcoming the light of his truth.We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.-International Committee on English in the LiturgySongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”

December 13, 2015A reading from Matthew chapter 1, verses 20b-21:“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as yourwife She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the nameJesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”We come together to light three candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember how our family wassewn together by God for the salvation of the world.We light this third candle reminded of our redemption found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Almighty God,give us grace that we may cast awaythe works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light,now in the time of this mortal lifein which thy Son Jesus Christ cameto visit us in great humility;that in the last day, when he shall come againin his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead,we may rise to the life immortal;through him who lives and reigns with thee and the Holy Ghost,one God, now and for ever. Amen.-1979 Book of Common PrayerSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”“Joy to the World!”

December 14, 2015A reading from Zephaniah chapter 3, verses 14-18:Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with allyour heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away yourpunishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King ofIsrael, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that daythey will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your handshang limp. The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior whosaves. He will take great delight in you in his love he will no longerrebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”“I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointedfestivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.We come together to light three candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember God rejoices over uswith singing.We light this third candle reminded of our redemption found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Merciful God,who sent thy messengers the prophets topreach repentanceand prepare the way for our salvation:Give us grace to heed their warningsand forsake our sins,that we may greet with joythe coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer;who lives and reigns with thee and the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. Amen.-1979 Book of Common PrayerSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”“Silent Night”“Joy to the World!”

December 15, 2015A reading from Numbers chapter 24, verses 2-7 and 15-17:When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, theSpirit of God came on him and he spoke his message: “The prophecy ofBalaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, theprophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from theAlmighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: “Howbeautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel! “Likevalleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted bythe LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from theirbuckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will begreater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.Then he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, theprophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, the prophecy of one who hears thewords of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees avision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes areopened: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He willcrush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.We come together to light three candles at Christ’s table as members of hisfamily. When families gather for a meal at the table, they share stories aboutthe past and plan for the future. Today we remember that we should followthe star that leads us to Christ.We light this third candle reminded of our redemption found in Christ Jesus.Prayer:O Lord, stir up thy power,and with great might come among us;and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us;through Jesus Christ our Lord,to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost,be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.-1979 Book of Common PrayerSongs for candle extinguishing:“O Co

SONGS FOR CANDLE LIGHTING! "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. "Silent Night" Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child.