Advent – A Longing

One of the most beautiful ways of beginning our Advent journey – our longing for Christ – is with the hymn Conditor Alme Siderum – Creator of the Stars of Night:

CONDITOR alme siderum, aeterna lux credentium, Christe, redemptor omnium, exaudi preces supplicum. –	CREATOR of the stars of night, Thy people’s everlasting light, Jesu, Redeemer, save us all, and hear Thy servants when they call.
Qui condolens interitu mortis perire saeculum, salvasti mundum languidum, donans reis remedium, –	Thou, grieving that the ancient curse should doom to death a universe, hast found the medicine, full of grace, to save and heal a ruined race.
Vergente mundi vespere, uti sponsus de thalamo, egressus honestissima Virginis matris clausula. –	Thou camest, Bridegroom of the Bride, as drew the world to evening tide, proceeding from a virgin shrine, the spotless Victim all divine.
Cuius forti potentiae genu curvantur omnia; caelestia, terrestria nutu fatentur subdita. –	At whose dread Name, majestic now, all knees must bend, all hearts bow; and things celestial Thee shall own, and things terrestrial Lord alone.
Te, Sancte, fide quaesumus, venture iudex saeculi, conserva nos in tempore hostis a telo perfidi. –	O Thou whose coming is with dread, to judge and doom the quick and dead, preserve us, while we dwell below, from every insult of the foe.
Sit, Christe, rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.	To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One, laud, honor, might, and glory be from age to age eternally. Amen.

Gathering Prayer – 1st Sunday of Advent:

Da, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus,
hanc tuis fidelibus voluntatem,
ut, Christo tuo venienti iustis operibus occurrentes,
eius dextrae sociati, regnum mereantur possidere caeleste.

Latin Text (2002)

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that your faithful may resolve to run forth with righteous deeds,
to meet your Christ who is coming,
so that gathered at his right hand
they may be worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom.

(New ICEL (2008)