The First Sunday of Advent

Purple

Collect

Almighty God,

give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness

and put upon us the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life,

in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility;

that in the last day

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

This Collect may be used as the Post Communion on any day from the Second Sunday of Advent until Christmas Eve instead of the Post Communion provided.

Post Communion

O Lord our God,

as we wait for the coming of thy Son our Lord,

preserve us in watchfulness and faith,

that when he shall appear

he may not find us asleep in sin

but active to serve him

and joyful to praise him;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Second Sunday of Advent

Purple

Collect

O Lord, raise up we pray thee thy power

and come among us,

and with great might succour us;

that whereas, through our sins and wickedness

we are sore let and hindered

in running the race that is set before us,

thy bountiful grace and mercy

may speedily help and deliver us;

through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord,

to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit

be honour and glory, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Heavenly Father,

who didst send thy Son to redeem the world

and wilt send him again to be our judge:

give us grace so to imitate him

in the humility and purity of his first coming

that when he shall come again,

we may be found ready to greet him

with joyful love and steadfast faith;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Third Sunday of Advent

Purple

Collect

O Lord Jesus Christ,

who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger

to prepare thy way before thee:

grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries

may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way

by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,

that at thy second coming to judge the world

we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight;

who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

We give thee thanks, O Lord, for these thy heavenly gifts;

kindle in us the fire of thy Spirit

that when our Saviour Christ shall come again

we may shine as lights before his face;

who liveth and reigneth now and for ever.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Purple

This provision is not used on weekdays after 23 December.

Collect

O God our redeemer,

who didst prepare the Blessed Virgin Mary

to be the mother of thy Son:

grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,

so we may be ready to greet him

when he shall come again to be our judge;

who liveth and reigneth with thee

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Heavenly Father,

who didst choose the Blessed Virgin Mary

to be the mother of the promised saviour:

fill us thy servants with thy grace,

that in all things we may embrace thy holy will

and with her rejoice in thy salvation;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Christmas Eve

24 December

Purple

Collect

Almighty God,

who makest us glad with the yearly remembrance

of the birth of thy only Son Jesus Christ:

grant that, as we joyfully receive him as our redeemer,

so we may with sure confidence behold him

when he shall come to be our judge;

who liveth and reigneth with thee

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Eternal God, for whom we wait,

who hast fed us with the bread of eternal life:

we pray that thou wilt keep us ever watchful

so that we may be ready to stand before the Son of man,

Jesus Christ our Lord.