Worship & Prayers for the Third Sunday of Advent

Opening Rite

If you’re at home you might wish to light a candle, make sure you are sitting comfortably and take a few deep breaths to still yourself. 

The Lord is here  His spirit is with us.                         

Prayers of Penitence

A voice cries out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’  cf John 1.23

Let us listen, and turn to the Lord in penitence and faith.

After a period of reflection

God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and for ever. Amen

The Collect

You might like to keep a few moments of silence

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the worldwe may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Isaiah 35:1-10

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.  The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.  They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.  Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.  Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear!  Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense.  He will come and save you.’  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.  For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray.  No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.  And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness,  and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

Canticle: Magnificat

My soul is filled with joy as I sing to God my Saviour: you have looked upon your servant, you have visited your people. 

/R: and holy is your name through all generations! Everlaasting uijs your mercy to the peoples you have chosen, and holy is your name. 

I am lowly as a child, but I know from this day forward that my name will be remembered, for all will call me blessed /R:

I proclaim the power of God, you do marvels for your servants; though you scatter the proud-hearted and destroy the might of princes /R:

To the hungry you give food,send the rich away empty. In your mercy you are mindful of the people you have chosen /R:

In your love you now fulfil what you promised to your people. I will praise you Lord, my Saviour, everlasting is your mercy /R:

James 5.7-10

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The Gospel according to Matthew                                     Chapter 11:2-11

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’  As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

This is the Gospel of the Lord   Praise to you O Christ

Reflection

John the Baptist’s huge success earned him powerful enemies. He was arrested by the Herod Antipas for telling the crowds the truth – the king was in an incestuous marriage. In prison, this once powerful man loses his confidence and sends to ask his cousin if he has been on the right track or not: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ (v.3). Maybe he thinks Jesus is not doing enough.  Jesus reassures John by telling his messengers to report what they hear and see. It is just like Isaiah’s vision of the joyful return – people are healed – but it goes even further here as the dead are raised, the poor are given good news and God seems to bless those who do not get offended by this. It is a joyful, confident message.  Jesus goes on to talk to the crowd about John. They went out in the wilderness to see a prophet, not a reed, and to hear God’s message. Indeed, John was the prophet who was clearing the way for the Messiah, the returned Elijah, the greatest human being. However, the ‘more’ Jesus brings means that even the lowliest person who belongs to the kingdom of God is greater than John.

Reproduced with permission www.rootsontheweb.com 2002-2021  

Prayers

Spend a few moments praying for the people you know and love, for the world, for peace and for the relief of refugees everywhere. 

On the Third Sunday of Advent

God for whom we watch and wait, you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son: give us courage to speak the truth, to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right, with Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Praying for the Earth                                         Sustainable development

We give thanks for all the blessings of this life, and remember those less fortunate than ourselves. Help us, who have more than enough to live more simply, that others may simply live. As we borrow the earth from our children, may we not take more than we can return. Amen

From the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for the Church

Porvoo Communion: Diocese of Borg (Church of Norway) and the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham

Anglican Communion: Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil Primate: Most Revd Rosa Dos Santos Bassotto

Diocese of Newcastle: For all who at diocesan and local level share in the care of church buildings

Morpeth Deanery: Benefice of Cresswell and Lynemouth Vicar: Julia Lacey, William Leach Campus of the Northumberland C of E Academy

From our Parish Prayer Cycle this week 

Pray for those who have no faith; pray for religious and racial tolerance in this community

For the sick and those being cared for in hospital or at home      

For those in residential care    

For those whose year’s minds are this week 

Nicholas Walton, George Edward Fenwick, Margaret Strange, Isabel Muriel Mears, Betty Bolton, Ed Falcus, Betty Wilson , Russell Lowes, Ethel Riley and Bob Coatsworth

You might like to end your prayers with The Lord's Prayer  

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Let us bless the Lord!      Thanks be to God!