Honor the Season of Advent: 5 Days of Lessons and CarolsSample

Read aloud Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7

Dwell on the words of “I Look from Afar” by Giovanni di Palestrina. At a later time, you might choose to watch a choir recorded on YouTube sing this quintessential hymn so you can get a sense of its responsory glory. “I Look from Afar” is essential to all Lessons and Carols services!

I look from afar:
And lo, I see the power of God coming,
And a cloud covering the whole earth.
Go ye out to meet him and say,
“Tell us who art thou?”
“Tell us, art thou He that should come to reign over thy people Israel?”

Contemplate together: What words or phrases from Isaiah and from “I Look from Afar” resonate with you most? Think of the news of the day. Can you connect the promises, predictions, and poetry with what is happening in today’s world? How so?