The Collect

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us, your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

¶ The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Isaiah 40.1-11

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,  and cry to her  that she has served her term,  that her penalty is paid,  that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.  A voice cries out:  ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,  make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up,  and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level,  and the rough places a plain.  Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,  and all people shall see it together,  for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ A voice says, ‘Cry out!’  And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’  All people are grass,  their constancy is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades,  when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;  surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades;  but the word of our God will stand for ever.  Get you up to a high mountain,  O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength,  O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,  lift it up, do not fear;  say to the cities of Judah,  ‘Here is your God!’  See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him,  and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd;  he will gather the lambs in his arms,  and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Psalm 85.1-2,8-13

Lord, you were gracious to your land; * you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the offence of your people * and covered all their sins.
I will listen to what the Lord God will say, *  for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful, that they turn not again to folly.
Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him, * that his glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth are met together, * righteousness and peace have kissed each other;
Truth shall spring up from the earth  * and righteousness look down from heaven.
The Lord will indeed give all that is good, * and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness shall go before him * and direct his steps in the way.

Second Reading: 2 Peter 3.8-15a

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1.1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,  ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”’. John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

Prayers of Intercession

I urge you once again to read Jane Williams’ reflections on the lectionary for today – if you visit this page and search for ‘shopping’, it will appropriately take you to her thoughts on the Second Sunday of Advent.

The following is suggested by Visual Liturgy
In joyful expectation of his coming to our aid we pray to Jesus.

Come to your Church as Lord and judge. We pray for …
Help us to live in the light of your coming and give us a longing for your kingdom.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your world as King of the nations. We pray for …
Before you rulers will stand in silence.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to the suffering as Saviour and comforter. We pray for …
Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and distress,
and set us free to serve you for ever.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as shepherd and guardian of our souls. We remember …
Give us with all the faithful departed a share in your victory over evil and death.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come from heaven, Lord Jesus, with power and great glory.
Lift us up to meet you, that with [N and] all your saints and angels
we may live and reign with you in your new creation.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

¶The Church of Christ

Lord, help us to prepare a world into which the King of kings and Lord of lords will feel at home; help us to make ready a Church to worship Him which is worthy of the task. Take the dried grass and chaff that has accumulated and let your breath blow upon it. Send down the fire of your Holy Spirit to purify your Church and make us ready to receive Him. Raise up your people, we pray, from the daily squabbles that beset us and help us to unite in the face of the coming miracle that is promised.

Lord, may we be found watching and waiting: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

Lord, still does your love strive with our waywardness, reaching across the abyss that is wrath, opening our eyes to the needs of those whom we cannot or will not see, compelling us to cherish an earth that is fragile. Mercy and truth will meet together, righteousness and peace will embrace. Faithfulness will spring up from the earth and justice leap to meet it from heaven. God of the whole earth and God of each land, teach us with a steady endurance to build at least the tents of justice. *

Lord, may we be found watching and waiting: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶The local community

Lord, as we prepare to celebrate in community the coming of the Christ child, we pray for all members of His body. We pray for those who are like us, and whom it is easy to love. We pray for those who think differently, with whom we find it difficult to live in common. We pray for the tired and the weak, that membership of the body may be a blessing and a healing for them. We pray for the strong, that they may also be gentle and compassionate. We pray for renewed grace to work together as one for the coming of your kingdom.

Lord, may we be found watching and waiting: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶Those who suffer

Lord, giver of life and joy, comfort all those who mourn today. Whether it be the loss of those whom they love (either through death or the ending of a relationship); loss of their own health and strength; loss of hope or loss of confidence in the future, we ask you to comfort them with your healing and strengthening presence. May they know at the deepest level of their being that you will not forsake them, and that through the deepest of rivers and darkest of shadowed valleys you will carry them.

Lord, may we be found watching and waiting: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶The communion of saints

Lord, we commend into your hands those whom we have loved. You gave them breath, and loved them throughout their lives. Receive them now in your infinite tenderness, and give them peace in company with all your saints.

Lord, may we be found watching and waiting: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

* This section of the intercessions is based on Jim Cotter’s reflections on Psalm 85 in Out of the Silence

^{Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above): Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000 Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2002 Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)}

If you have a moment, you might like to look at (and I would appreciate it!) the next blog post, Fuzzy Church, Anyone?