PRIEST: My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This third Sunday of Advent is a day for rejoicing…rejoicing that the coming of our Saviour is close at hand; rejoicing that his coming will make the deserts bloom like the jonquil, and the wounded will be healed; rejoicing that God still sends prophets to challenge us to welcome the Christ who changes all things!
Let us now sing with joy as we witness the Coming of Christ that brings healing to our brokenness and forgiveness to our sinfulness, transforming us with His Coming…
[Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice x2
Rejoice, Rejoice and again I say Rejoice x2]
Let us pray…
O God, Mother and Father of all that lives, come among us and dance over us with your joy, as on a day of Festival! Fill our community with that rejoicing that comes from welcoming your Light, Jesus Christ, and sharing that light of forgiveness and healing with all our world. Bless this Advent Wreath and our parish so that we may hasten the day when your Son, our Brother, will fill all creation with joyous Glory…
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER + AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT…AMEN!
READER: Lord, for the wastelands in our lives,
for the deserts of sin within us and our world:
the emptiness that deprives our earth of your joy;
we ask your mercy
LORD HAVE MERCY
Lord, for the violence and war that wastes our world,
for the deserts of unemployment and homelessness,
for the darkness of greed and luxury;
we ask your mercy
CHRIST HAVE MERCY
Lord, because of the joy you have in forgiving us,
because you come to transform us with healing and reconciliation;
with confidence we ask your mercy
LORD HAVE MERCY
PRIEST: O Lord, stir up your might and come! Clothe us in your joyous Light,
renew our hearts in your compassion and forgiveness,
and bring us all to your Day of unending Festival,
that we may rejoice to live for ever and ever
…AMEN!