The Advent season is a season of preparation – of prayer, contemplation, fasting, and spiritual renewal. It is a time in which the people of God, by God’s grace, make straight His paths in their hearts. Rather than simply being an extension of the Christmas celebration, Advent prepares us to more truly and fully celebrate Christ’s birth.
To help us observe Advent, here is a collection of Scripture readings for each day of the season, drawn from the Book of Common Prayer. The readings for week one are taken from Isaiah, Matthew, and Luke.
The readings from Isaiah are a strong call for repentance, while the gospel readings combine warnings against being unprepared for the Lord’s coming and events from late in the life of Christ. Those events highlight why Christ came and died, fitting topics for contemplation as Advent begins.
Sunday, December 1st – First Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 1:1-9
Matthew 25:1-13
Monday, December 2nd
Isaiah 1:10-20
Luke 20:1-8
Tuesday, December 3rd
Isaiah 1:21-31
Luke 20:9-18
Wednesday, December 4th
Isaiah 2:1-11
Luke 20:19-26
Thursday, December 5th
Isaiah 2:12-22
Luke 20:27-40
Friday, December 6th
Isaiah 3:8-15
Luke 20:41-21:4
Saturday, December 7th
Isaiah 4:2-6
Luke 21:5-19