Letting our hearts be prepared

One of the little appreciated treasures of the Liturgy of the Hours are the Alternative Prayers for Sundays and some solemnities. I hope these are retained in future revisions.

The Alternative Prayer for the Third Sunday of Advent is a great example. It was in perfect consonance with my spiritual state last evening:

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
ever faithful to your promises
and ever close to your Church:
the earth rejoices in hope of the Savior's coming
and looks forward with longing
to his return at the end of time.
Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness
that hinders us from feeling the joy
which his presence will bestow,
for he is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.


Marantha. Come Lord Jesus. "We long for the time when all time is past."