Advent Wreath Prayers: Let in the Light © 2015 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
First Sunday in Advent: HOPE
READER ONE: Let in the Light
READER TWO: Psalm 84:11-12
The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, blessed is everyone who trusts in you.
READER ONE: Let in the Light
Light the candle of hope
ALL:
The following prayer by Dimitri of Rostov (d. 1709)
Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart with the flame of your love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there,
for you alone are my King and my Lord.
Amen.
Second Sunday in Advent: LOVE
READER ONE: Let in the Light
READER TWO: John 3:16-21
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
READER ONE: Let in the Light
Light the candles of hope and love
ALL:
The following prayer by Dimitri of Rostov (d. 1709)
Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart with the flame of your love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there,
for you alone are my King and my Lord.
Amen.
Third Sunday in Advent: JOY
READER ONE: Let in the Light
READER TWO: John 12:46, John 8:12
Jesus said, “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness… I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
READER ONE: Let in the Light
Light the candles of hope, love, and joy
ALL: The following prayer by Dimitri of Rostov (d. 1709)
Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart with the flame of your love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there,
for you alone are my King and my Lord.
Amen.
Fourth Sunday in Advent: PEACE
READER ONE: Let in the Light
READER TWO: 1 Peter 2:9-11
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.
READER ONE: Let in the Light
Light the candles of hope, love, joy, and peace
ALL:
The following prayer by Dimitri of Rostov (d. 1709)
Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart with the flame of your love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there,
for you alone are my King and my Lord.
Amen.
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This worship resource emphasizes the classic Advent candle symbols of hope, love, joy, and peace.
Since the scriptures center on the theme of light, this resource may be used in any liturgical year.
This worship resource calls for “more and more candles” to be lit each Sunday of Advent in order to emphasize “more and more light.” Thus, no candles are lit prior to the service. Some prefer to have the previous weeks’ candles lit prior to the service so only one candle is lit each week, thus adding light to those already lit. Feel free to use whichever method you prefer.