Commontide

Preparation for Personal Prayer

Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

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Commontide
Collect
Prayers

The Second Sunday in Advent

Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

BCP 2019, p. 598

Proper Preface

Preface of Advent

Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great glory to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.

Provenance

Cranmer 1549

Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.

One of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer's own original English compositions for the 1549 Prayer Book, this collect draws its structure and imagery from Romans 15:4 and condenses Cranmer's Reformation program of Scripture access into a single prayer. Its verbs, to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest, have echoed in Anglican worship for nearly five hundred years.