Daily Prayers for December 3

O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you

as the day rises to meet the sun.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

Song “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”

O come, O come, Emmanuel : and ransom captive Israel.

Psalm 18:3 – 7

I will call upon the Lord : and so shall I be saved from my enemies.

The breakers of death rolled over me : and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.

The cords of hell entangled me : and the snares of death were set for me.

I called upon the Lord in my distress : and cried out to my God for help.

He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling : my cry of anguish came to his ears.

O come, O come, Emmanuel : and ransom captive Israel.

Isaiah 1:21 – 31 Luke 20:19 – 26

O come, O come, Emmanuel : and ransom captive Israel.

Justin the Martyr wrote in the second century, “He called Abraham and commanded him to go out from the country where he was living. With this call he has roused us all, and now we have renounced all the things the world offers, even unto death.”

Prayers for Others

Our Father

Hound us, Lord, with affection and conviction until we renounce all lesser things to follow you. Help us see that in giving up the fool’s gold of the world, we open ourselves to heavenly treasure that lasts forever. Amen.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;

may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;

may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;

may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.