ADVENT ONE- 2020

Advent 1

Liturgically, the first Sunday in Advent is the Sunday closest 

to or on The Feast of St. Andrew (November 30^th). 

This year, try something new. Begin the Advent season 

with the hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, read it or sing it, 

all of the verses, but omit the refrain. It is a long hymn 

and accurately reflects the centuries long wait 

from the promise made in the garden of Eden 

until the angelic announcement to the shepherds. 

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who ord’rest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times didst give the Law In cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree, Free them from Satan’s tyranny

That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save, And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.

O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery.

O come, Thou Dayspring from on High, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, And be Thyself our King of Peace.

This year, as we tire of the struggle with the virus

 and the divisions that politics impose, 

we can more readily identify with the agony

 of our first parents when they were separated from God, 

when they lost those loving evening visits, 

when they experienced illness, thorns, pains, and guilt. 

They longed for Emmanuel, for God to be with them again. 

Pray the hymn again. Use it as your prayer in this time of trial. 

Then “Let the Amen, sound from His people again.”

This Devotion written by Journeys of Faith Contributing Writer-

 Natalie Grace Hartwig.

The Advent calendar for marking your Advent journey

 may be downloaded for free right here:

advent-calendar-2020