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Advent Scripture Readings, Songs, Psalms, and Prayers |
Advent Scripture Readings for Family Evening Prayer
Old Testament |
New Testament |
Week One Sunday - Is 40, 9 –11 |
Week One Sun. - Mt. 1, 1 – 16 |
Week Two Sun. - Is. 9, 2 – 7 |
Week Two Sun. - Lk 2, 1 – 18 |
Week Three Sun. - Is. 66, 5-8 |
Week Three Sun. - 2 Thes. 2, 1-8 |
Week Four Sun. - Gen. 3,17-24 |
Week Four Sun. - 1 Peter 1, 3-10 |
Advent Family Readings
- The Scripture Readings of the Advent Prophet Isaiah. These can be found also in the Roman Breviary.
- The Rorate Mass of the Blessed Virgin during Advent
- The Mass Texts in the Sundays of Advent found e.g. in The St. Andrew Daily Missal
- The "Christmas Cycle" of Pius Parsch in his book The Year Made Holy (available from Loome Books in Stillwater, MN
- The Advent volume by Abbot Gueranger in his The Liturgical Year (also from Loome Books)
The Advent Psalms as Family Daily Prayers:
Psalms 24, 79, 84, 18
Before reading below the Psalm or Prophecy you wish to use during each prayer time, start with the "Responsory In Advent" Prayer.
Responsory In Advent
We await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Who will reshape the body of our lowliness
After the shape of the body of His splendor,
Temperately, justly, reverently, let us live in this world,
Awaiting the blessed hope and Advent of the glory of the great God.
In Thee, O my God, I put my trust;
Let me not be ashamed.
Neither let my enemies laugh at me;
Nor none of them that wait on Thee shall be confounded.
Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause.
Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me, and teach me Thy paths.
Direct me in Thy truth, and teach me;
For Thou art God my Savior, and on Thee have I waited
All the day long…
For Thy name’s sake, O Lord, Thou will pardon my sin:
For it is great…
Look upon me and have mercy on me;
For I am alone and poor.
The troubles of my heart are many;
Save me from my necessities.
See my sorrow and my labor and forgive me all my sins…
Keep Thou my soul, and save me:
I shall not be ashamed for I have hoped in Thee…
Deliver Israel, O God, from all his tribulations.
Psalm 79
A prayer for the Church in suffering, remembering
God’s former favors.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
O guide of the flock of Joseph!
Rouse your power
And come to save us.
O Lord of hosts, restore us,
If your face shine upon us,
Then we shall be safe.
O Lord of hosts, how long will you burn with anger
While your people pray?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
And given them tears to drink in ample measure.
You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors,
And our enemies mock us.
O Lord of hosts, restore us,
If your face shine upon us, then we shall be safe.
Turn again, O God of hosts,
Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard.
And make perfect Thy vineyard
Which Thy right hand has planted:
And upon the Son of Man whom Thou hast
Confirmed for Thyself.
And the firmament declares the work of His hands…
God has set His tabernacle in the sun:
And he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber,
Has rejoiced as a giant to run the way;
His going out is from the end of heaven…
And there is no one that can hide himself from his heat…
The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts;
The commandments of the Lord is light and easy
Giving wisdom to all
The fear of the Lord is holy, lasting forever and forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
More to be desired than gold and many precious stones;
And sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
For Thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them
There is a great reward.
Who can understand sins?
From my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord;
And from those of others spare me.
If sin has no power over me, then shall I be without stain:
And I shall be cleansed from the greatest sins.
And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please;
And the meditation of my heart always in Thy sight.
O Lord, my helper and my Redeemer.
Prophecy and Hymns for Family Prayers
Prophecy from Isaias
A Root shall come forth from the stock of Jesse
And a Flower shall rise out of his root!
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him –
The spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
The spirit of counsel and fortitude,
The spirit of knowledge and of godliness.
The people that walked in darkness
Shall see a great light,
For a Child is born to us
And a Son is given to us.
To Him all power shall be given.
His Name shall be: Wonderful One,
Strong God, Eternal One, Prince of Peace.
He shall sit on the throne of David,
And He will found a new Covenant
Which will last forever.
Isaiah 9:1-2
Have seen a great light;
On those who lived
In a land as dark as death
A light has dawned.
You have increased their joy
And given them great gladness;
They rejoice in your presence
As those who rejoice at harvest,
As warriors rejoice when dividing spoil.
Leader: Let us pray
Then all pray: O God, Rejoicing,
We remember the promise of Your Son.
As the light from our Advent Candle,
May the blessing of Christ come upon us,
Brightening our way
And guiding us by His truth.
May Christ our Savior bring life
Into the darkness of our world,
And to us, as we wait for His coming.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Behold, A Rose of Judah
From tender branch has sprung,
From Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung.
It came a flower bright
Amid the cold of winter
When half spent was the night.
Isaiah has foretold it,
In words of promise sure,
And Mary’s arms enfold it,
A Virgin meek and pure.
Through God’s eternal will
She bore to men a Savior
At midnight calm and still.
Advent Songs from the Liturgy
- Rorate Coeli
- The Vesper Hymn of Advent (may be recited if unable to be sung)
- The Alma Redemptoris Mater "Loving Mother of the Redeemer" (Advent Antiphon)
- An old German Medieval carol Maria Walks amid the Thorn (Note: The recurrent Kyrie Eleison or "Lord have mercy" will help teach the children the Advent-like quality of the Kyrie at Holy Mass – the longing appeal to the mercy of the Trinity through the Incarnation and Redemption.)
- O Come! O Come! Emmanuel
