A Great Thanksgiving for Advent

Prepare the way of the Lord!
Straighten our crooked paths, O God!

The day of the Christ’s coming draws near.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The Spirit of the Lord is in this place.
Pray through us now, Holy Spirit.

Pray through us now,
that we may praise you,
Holy, Triune God,
with angels and archangels,
with beings in heaven and all creatures on earth,
with all who have ever sung this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed are you, Jesus Christ,
Word made flesh,
making all things new.

Blessed are you, Jesus Christ!

Blessed are you, Holy Spirit,
dissolving every chain of sin that binds us,
rebuking every power that enslaves,
purifying our hearts,
challenging every action not moved by love,
and setting all creation free.

Blessed are you, Holy Spirit.

Blessed are you, El Shaddai,
feeding your people,
gathering us like lambs in your arms,
and leading us to life eternal.

Blessed are you, El Shaddai!

We know the end that lies before us and all things:
The elemental powers of this universe shall be burned away,
the heavens vaporized,
the earth and all our doings exposed for all to see.

We know the end, and we tremble.

We also know your promise,
out of conflagration to re-create,
out of chaos to re-order,
out of such destruction to renew.

We know your promise, and we rejoice.

We rejoice, for you are with us,
coming to us in flesh long ago,
coming into our flesh in bread and cup at this, Christ’s table,
coming into this world through your Church
in the power of the Spirit,
and coming again to complete what you have begun,
and now feed us to continue.

Feed us, O God.

Feed us as Jesus fed his disciples
on the night he was betrayed,
taking bread, blessing you, breaking it,
saying to those to whom he gave it:
This is my body given for you. Take, eat, and remember me.

Quench our thirst now as Jesus did that night,
taking cup, giving thanks to you,
and saying to those to whom he gave it:
This is my blood poured out for you. Drink, and remember me.

Only you can feed us, God.
Only you can make us holy.
Only you can prepare us for the end to come.
Only you can purify our hearts.

So come, Holy Spirit,
on these gifts of bread and wine,
and on us.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Feed us with the bread that lasts forever,
the body of Christ.

Slake our thirst with the cup of immortality,
the blood of Christ.

Come, Holy Spirit.

And so nourish us in holy living,
today and all our days,
that on that day
when all things are recreated,
and on these days
as we wait for the fullness to come,
the world may see and know in us
the love that moves the universe
to its true end in new beginning
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

By him, with him, and in him,
united in the power of the Holy Spirit,
all honor and glory are yours,
seated upon the Throne,
one God, now and forever. Amen.