Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your 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 living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

Collect for the first week of Advent, Book of Common Prayer

This is the opening prayer for the first week of Advent. Traditionally, in most Anglican churches it is said in every service during the season of Advent, and as a result it has become one of my favorite regular prayers within the Book of Common Prayer. This prayer establishes the reason that Christians remember Advent, and also it reminds us of just what it is we are seeking during this time of waiting.

Grace. The prayer opens by asking for grace, or the unmerited favor of God that enables Christians to overcome the depths of our own brokenness. The ultimate truth of Christianity is that it says that we are unable to make ourselves truly better without God’s help. Thus, it asks for grace before reminding us of the cause to which we are to dedicate our lives pulled directly from scripture, specifically Romans 13:11-12:

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

And in pulling imagery from this verse this prayer also seeks to remind us that we are in the end times, even if sometimes it doesn’t feel like it. God is near; he has come, and he will come again. Thus, we are to cast off the works of darkness and seek after the coming light, Jesus Christ.

Then, finally, this prayer looks to the future, and the second coming of God where all will be judged. In the happiness of Christmas and the expectation of Advent, this often falls by the wayside, but it shouldn’t. Judgement is coming and the ever-increasing light is as much a cause of trembling as it is of joy. And it is our duty today in, and day out, seek after God’s kingdom.

This is the tone of advent, grace, perseverance, and expectation, and in these we find a call to our continued dedication to fight against the sin that dwells in us, and a call to look towards God’s coming judgement where no stone will be left unturned.

The hymn that most beautifully sums up the truths of this prayer is the hymn “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding” which was originally a 5^th century Latin hymn and it moves from casting off the works of darkness, to waiting for the morning, to seeing the Son return, to the long expected judgement, and concluding with the everlasting praise that concludes Christian history. Advent is not just a season, it is our entire lives as Christians, and to remember this prayer, I think, sets the tone for the whole Christian life.