On this the Fourth Sunday of Advent we light a Fourth candle:
the candle of LOVE.
If you have advent candles at home – light Four candles each day until Christmas.
Here is a Prayer you might like to use as you do so:
We light this candle to remind us that the transforming love of God is coming into the world.
God with us, God beside us, comes soon to the world he has made.
We are God’s children:
We seek the coming of Christ. Come Lord Jesus. Amen.
Bible Reading
The prophecy fulfilled – Matthew 2.3-6
Music
Story
Advent Antiphons
These antiphons, or refrains, all beginning ‘O …’, were sung according to the Roman use, on the seven days preceding Christmas Eve (17–23 December). They are addressed to God, calling for him to come, with a tapestry of scriptural titles and pictures that describe his saving work in Christ. It is not known when and by whom the antiphons were composed, but they were already in use by the eighth century.
Here I will for each of these ‘days’ give the title and the relevant verse from that famous Advent Hymn for you to read or sing.
December 19 – O come thou root of Jesse
O come, thou root of Jesse ! Draw
The quarry from the lion’s claw
From those dread caverns of the grave
From nether hell thy people save.
Rejoice ! Rejoice ! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
