Advent
Saturday

MORNING PRAYER

READING
Isaiah 2:3 – 4
Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob;
that we may be instructed in righteous ways and walk in the pathways of our God.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. God shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Out of Zion shall go forth instruction and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who shepherds the people
and sets them free.
God raises from David’s house
a child with power to save. --
--Through the holy prophets
God promised in ages past
to save us from enemy hands,
from the grip of all who hate us.
The Lord favored our ancestors
recalling the sacred covenant,
the pledge to our ancestor Abraham,
to free us from our enemies,
so we might worship without fear
and be holy and just all our days.
And you child, will be called
Prophet of the Most High,
for you will come to prepare
a pathway for the Lord
by teaching the people salvation
through forgiveness of their sin.
Out of God’s deepest mercy
a dawn will come from on high,
light for those shadowed by death,
a guide for our feet on the way to peace.

 
INTERCESSIONS
O God who created the whole human family, we begin this day remembering your unconditional love for all whom you have made:
~ May they experience peace, joy and prosperity through the intercession
of Mary our mother.
We pray for all the peoples of the world: We pray for all whom we will meet today:
We pray for anyone whom we may have injured by our words or actions:
We pray for our benefactors: We pray for ourselves:
~ May we experience peace, joy and prosperity through the intercession of Mary our mother.
 
PRAYER
Rest your Spirit upon us, O good and gentle God! Prepare us to receive your gifts, as we long for your coming. Teach us, through the example of Mary, to cherish the new life within us. We make this Prayer through her intercession and that of her son, Jesus. Amen.