On this First Sunday of Advent, you remind us to “Be watchful! Be alert!” as we light our first Advent candle. Just as you did two thousand years ago, when your Word became human flesh in the person of Jesus, you continue to break into our lives.

As we begin this Advent season and prepare ourselves to celebrate Christmas, give us new eyes and new ears so that we can be watchful and alert.

Help us to break out of our ruts of complacency and routine. Give us courage to venture beyond our comfort zones. Guide us to encounter your love in new and exciting ways.

Inspire us to be your face of compassion to those on the edges of our families, neighborhoods and in the world who most need your love to break into their despair and heal their suffering.

Awaken in us your call and our response to be your missionary disciples.

We ask this through Jesus, who is the human face of your compassion and mercy.

Amen.

On this Second Sunday of Advent, through the example of Isaiah the prophet, you remind us of your loving presence in our lives as we light our second Advent candle.

As did those during the time when Jesus walked the earth, we live in fearful times of great uncertainty. We find ourselves longing for your promise of old when “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.”

As we continue our Advent journey to Christmas, open our hearts to your comfort, to knowing your merciful love for us.

Let your love take root in our hearts to grow strong against any fear and doubt. Make us bold in being able to share that love with others, especially those who need it most.

Form us to be your missionary disciples.

We ask this through Jesus, who experienced your comfort and peace in troubling times.

Amen.

On this Third Sunday of Advent, through the example of St. John the Baptist, we light our pink candle of joy knowing that you liberate us from all oppression.

In our lives we have faced challenges and struggles. Around the world, we see our sisters and brothers suffer.

Yet we know that Jesus came to “bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord.”

Teach us that it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Help us to be your spark of joy, to bring light and hope to all who need your love to lift them from their suffering and oppression.

Make us your missionary disciples.

We ask this through Jesus, who knew what it meant to share the joy of your love in the midst of darkness.

Amen.

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, through the example of our Mother Mary who said “Yes” to the angel Gabriel, we light our final Advent candle.

When in your mission of love you decided to become one of us, you asked Mary to be the mother of Jesus so that your love could be in human form.

From baptism, you ask the same of each of us: to make your love take human form in our lives, in our families, with our neighbors and in the world.

This year as we celebrate Christmas, we say “Yes” to you and your invitation to be your arms and legs, hands and feet.

Send your joyful blessing to us as we gather tonight and tomorrow to remember and celebrate the greatest gift of your love made human.

And with that joy in our hearts, send us out as your missionary disciples to bring love, joy and peace to the world.

We ask this through Jesus, whose birth we celebrate, as we join all the angels in saying: Glory to God in the Highest!

Amen.