THE NOT YET NOW | ADVENT CALENDAR | EVENING PRAYER
‘At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning. All creation took place through him, and none took place without him. In him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind… So the word of God became a human being and lived among us. We saw his splendour, full of grace and truth…’ (J.B. Phillips)
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
O Lord, we bless your name:
and tell of your salvation from day to day.
Call: Who is it that you seek?
Response: We seek the Lord our God.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your heart?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your soul?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your mind?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your strength?
Response: Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Father, put flesh to our faith;
put feet to the ground as we seek You.
Draw us to You in our humanness,
our simplicity, our vulnerability
and help us find You in our flesh.
God incarnate,
help us to live as fully human.
God with us,
help us to live closely with you
and with our neighbour.
Christ Jesus, guide our hands and feet,
and teach us to live as You do in the world.
Draw us to You in our neighbour,
in the stranger, in the other,
lest we feel the absence of Your touch.
God incarnate,
help us to live as fully human.
God with us,
help us to live closely with you
and with our neighbour.
Holy Spirit, comfort us and guide us,
in mind, body, and soul.
Draw us to You in each other,
and give breath to our thoughts,
words and deeds.
God incarnate,
help us to live as fully human.
God with us,
help us to live closely with you
and with our neighbour.
Amen.
You inhabit the totality of my being
So quietly I often forget you are there.
You occupy the corners where even I
Sometimes fear to enter and reside.
You abide in the midst of my weakness
And accept my endless efforts to change.
Oh, the mystery, the wonder, the power
Of your dwelling within my simple heart!
Thank you for the gift of your presence,
For the permanent lodging of your love.
I turn to the One who dwells in me.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion
is to look out to the earth,
yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good
and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now. (St Teresa of Avila)
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.