Each year, I set up an Advent Boot Camp to work people up to half an hour of silent prayer daily, using various readings and devotional practices during Advent. I did it this year, too, but I wanted to offer another option for people who need a little less direction: daily lessons and carols.
For this Advent practice, you’ll figure out your own daily schedule. A good practice would be to spend 5-10 minutes “warming up” by quieting your heart and talking to Jesus about the things that are weighing on you. Then take your time with the daily Scripture (using a real paper Bible if at all possible). You might try lectio divina with it or attempt Ignatian meditation. You can do the same with the Advent and Christmas hymns. Or you could listen to them on this Spotify playlist or sing them or play them on your bassoon. You could read the Bible passage at every meal or make it your lock screen. Really, there’s any number of ways you could approach this. But I felt like I needed something more intentional to guide my meditation right now and I figured you might, too.
(I’ll be sharing these as images on social media as well.)
| Day | Scripture | Hymn |
| Dec 01 | Luke 1:26-29 | Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand. Ponder nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descending Comes, our homage to demand. |
| Dec 02 | Luke 1:30-33 | Rank on rank the host of heaven Spreads its vanguard on the way, As the Light of light descendeth From the realms of endless day, That the pow’rs of hell may vanish As the darkness clears away. (Let All Mortal Flesh) |
| Dec 03 | Luke 1:34-37 | Lo, how a rose e’er blooming, From tender stem hath sprung. Of Jesse’s lineage coming, As men of old have sung; It came, a flow’ret bright, Amid the cold of winter, When half spent was the night. |
| Dec 04 | Luke 1:38, Isaiah 7:14 |
Isaiah ’twas foretold it, The Rose I have in mind. With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind. To show God’s love aright She bore to men a Savior When half-spent was the night. (Lo How a Rose) |
| Dec 05 | Isaiah 60:1-3 | This Flower, whose fragrance tender With sweetness fills the air, Dispel with glorious splendor The darkness everywhere. True man, yet very God, From sin and death now save us And bear our every load. (Lo How a Rose) |
| Dec 06 | Matthew 1:18-19 | Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be, he is Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending he, of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see Evermore and evermore. |
| Dec 07 | Matthew 1:20-21 | Oh, that birth forever blessed when the virgin, full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race, and the babe, the world’s Redeemer, first revealed his sacred face evermore and evermore. (Of the Father’s Love Begotten) |
| Dec 08 | Matthew 1:22-24 | This is he whom seers and sages sang of old with one accord, whom the voices of the prophets promised in their faithful word. Now he shines, the long-expected; let creation praise its Lord Evermore and evermore. (Of the Father’s Love Begotten) |
| Dec 09 | Isaiah 9:2-4 | Come, Thou long-expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart. |
| Dec 10 | Isaiah 9:5-6 | Born Thy people to deliver, Born a child and yet a King, Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone; By Thine all-sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne. (Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus) |
| Dec 11 | Luke 1:41-45 | O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. O come, O Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. |
| Dec 12 | Luke 1:46-49 | O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to your tribes on Sinai’s height in ancient times once gave the law in cloud and majesty and awe. O come, O rod of Jesse’s stem, from every foe deliver them that trust thy mighty power to save, and give them victory o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. |
| Dec 13 | Luke 1:50-52 | O come, O Key of David, come and open wide our heavenly home. Make safe the way that leads on high and close the path to misery. O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. |
| Dec 14 | Luke 1:53-55 | O come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind. Bid thou our sad divisions cease and be for us our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. |
| Dec 15 | Luke 2:3-5 | O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by; yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight. |
| Dec 16 | Micah 5:1-3 | For Christ is born of Mary, and, gathered all above while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King and peace to all the earth. (O Little Town of Bethlehem) |
| Dec 17 | Luke 2:6-7 | How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in. (O Little Town of Bethlehem) |
| Dec 18 | Isaiah 35:4-6 | When earth drew on to darkest night, you came, but not in splendor bright, not as a king, but as the child Of Mary, virgin mother mild. In sorrow that the ancient curse should doom to death a universe, you came to save a ruined race With healing gifts of heav’nly grace. (Creator of the Stars of Night) |
| Dec 19 | Luke 2:8-14 | Angels and archangels may have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; But His mother only, in her maiden bliss, Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. (In the Bleak Midwinter) |
| Dec 20 | Wisdom 18:14-15 | Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. (In the Bleak Midwinter) |
| Dec 21 | Luke 2:15-20 | What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart (In the Bleak Midwinter). |
| Dec 22 | Luke 2:29-32 | Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you. Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary. (What Child Is This?) |
| Dec 23 | Matthew 2:9-12 | So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, Come peasant, king to own Him; The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise a song on high, The Virgin sings her lullaby. Joy, joy for Christ is born, The Babe, the Son of Mary. (What Child Is This?) |
| Dec 24 | Exodus 16:6-7 | Oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth; Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn; Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices! Oh night divine! Oh night when Christ was born. Oh night divine, Oh night, Oh night divine. |
| Dec 25 | John 1:14 | Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is Love and His gospel is Peace; Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother, And in his name all oppression shall cease, Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we; Let all within us praise his Holy name! Christ is the Lord! Oh praise his name forever. His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim! His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim! (Oh Holy Night) |
