Let us pray (in silence) [that God’s coming casts light into our hearts]
Incline your ear, O Lord, [or Incline your ear, O God,]
to our pleading,
and by the grace of your coming to us
enlighten the darkness of our hearts,
through Jesus Christ, our Saviour,
who is alive with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
This is part of my reworking collects with history and commentary.
This is a collect in the Gregorian Sacramentary (135). It is in the Sarum Missal as the collect for Advent 3, and remained in the Roman Rite in that position through to the 1962 Missal, only losing that placing following the reforms of Vatican II. This collect is:
Aurem tuam, quaesumus, Domine, precibus nostris accommoda:
et mentis nostrae tenebras, gratia tuae visitationis illustra…
This is a collect shared by Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and others. Advent 3 has John the Baptist as a strong thread, the one who was not the light, but came to testify to the light. We cannot of ourselves, darkness cannot of itself, eliminate darkness, but light shining, by the very act of shining, removes darkness.
Click the link for my commentary for the collect for Advent 3.
Advent 3 – reflection from the collect/opening prayer (used by BCP TEC and others)
Advent 3 – reflection from the collect/opening prayer (used by CofE Common Worship and others)
The Third Sunday of Advent is often referred to as Gaudete Sunday (colour Rose).
Remember: The Gloria (“Glory to God in the highest..”) is not used.
Don’t forget the Online Chapel with lots of resources of prayers and readings and reflections – many changing daily.
Other Resources
Original, Southern Hemisphere Advent collects
An outline example and resources for an Advent Eucharist
Advent in the Southern Hemisphere
Resources for Preaching Down Under
Textweek
Girardian Reflection
image: John the Baptist from Madonna and Child with St John the Baptist and a Saint by Giovanni Bellini (1500-1504)
In the comments below, please continue adding quality Advent resources and ideas.
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