Since it is used many times (in Daily Prayer and in Celebrations of Holy Communion) during four weeks, it needs to be memorable and satisfying to the ear. Happily it more than fulfils these requirements.

It is not a translation from the Latin Collect for Advent I in "The Use of Sarum" but was newly composed for The Book of the Common Prayer (1549) by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who was a master of English prose.

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty, to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

Let us first observe that this Collect is based in part upon the appointed Epistle for the first Sunday of the Christian Year, Romans 13:8-14, and, particularly, one verse therein. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light" (verse 12). Here "the day" is that of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to earth, to judge the living and the dead. Christians are to be spiritually and morally prepared for this unique Event, with which their salvation is inextricably tied.

Secondly, let us note how carefully and attractively Cranmer has combined in this meditatory prayer the retrospect of the First Advent with the anticipation of the Second Advent and how judiciously he has placed each in high relief by its vivid contrast with the other. "Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility," & "He shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge the quick and the dead."

In the third place, let us observe the skilful use of Scriptural antitheses, which is pleasing to the ear and moving to the mind -- "Cast away" & "put on"; "works of darkness" & "armour of light"; "in the time of this mortal life" & "in the last day"; "this mortal life" & "the life immortal"; "to visit us" & "to judge the quick and the dead"; "in great humility" & "in his glorious majesty".

Fourthly, let us note that although it is a Prayer, it also is an expression of faith and is a kind of miniature Creed. Here we have the divine Sonship of Christ, His birth into the world and implicitly his sufferings and death too (for were not they the climax of his humiliation?); his Return from the right hand of God the Father (inferring his previous Resurrection and ascension); his judgment of the living and the dead at his Second Advent; and finally the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.

Now let us analyse the Collect according to the usual Structure of the Collects as used in the Medieval Church. According to Procter & Frere (A New History of the Book of Common Prayer) they begin with "(i) an introductory address and commemoration, on which is based (ii) a single central prayer: from this in turn (iii) other clauses of petition or desire are developed, and (iv) the whole concludes with some fixed form of ending" the last usually being, if the prayer is addressed to the Father, a variant on per Iesum Christum dominum nostrum sometimes followed by a doxology.

1. Introductory Address. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is addressed as the Almighty God, the Deity who has dominion and authority over all the created order and through space and time.
2. Central prayer request. We ask for grace to be given unto us so that in this mortal life, to which the Son of God came in great humility in his Incarnation to save us, we may cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.
3. More petition and desire. We ask that at the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, when the dead are raised, and the living and the dead are judged, we shall rise to immortal life in glorious resurrection bodies to enjoy the beatific vision and heavenly service.
4. An appropriate Ending or Termination. We make our petitions through the same Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Mediator between God the Father and mankind and who, as the Incarnate Son, lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one Deity, now and for ever.

In the praying of this Collect daily this Advent, we shall surely know the blessing of the Lord upon as he delights to hear from us in the Name of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon November 2002.