PRAYER AND POETRY: Advent Collect

From Book of Common Prayer

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Advent Collect

(paraphrased as a sonnet)

Almighty Lord and everlasting God,
Come in the silence of our human night
And give us grace that we may cast away
The works of darkness; from eternal day
Now send to us the armor of your light;
In this brief mortal life protect and guard
Your people whom, in great humility,
Our Savior Christ once visited, that when
On that last day in glorious majesty
To judge the quick and dead he comes again,
We, from our earthbound weaknesses may rise,
Rise to immortal life, unending days,
Through him whose life in Trinity supplies
Now and forever your eternal praise.

(Christopher L. Webber)