Root of Jesse

Our Advent Wreath Lighting for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Leader: 

As our nights grow longer and our days grow short,

we look on these earthly signs--light and green branches--

and remember God's promise to our world:

Christ, our Light and our Hope, will come.

Listen to the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of

his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of counsel and might,

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of

the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears

hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for

the meek of the earth…. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie

down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child

shall lead them…. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the

earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On

that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall

inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.”

(Isaiah 11:1-4a, 6, 9-10)

Leader: Let us pray.

All: 

Almighty God,

you brought forth a royal branch

from the ancient stock of Jesse’s line:

Grant that we who have been grafted into this heritage

may bear fruit worthy of Jesus Christ;

who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,

one God, now and forever. Amen.