Prayer to be vigilant during Advent

Advent is a season for us to redouble our efforts to reform our lives, so that the second coming of Jesus is not a surprise.
One of the central spiritual themes of Advent is "vigilance" or "attention". It is time to be ready and to look patiently on the coming of Jesus into our hearts, but also on the second coming of Christ at the end of time.

We know neither the day nor the hour of Christ's coming, and so Advent reminds us to support our spiritual life so that we are not caught off guard when Jesus comes again.

Here is a prayer adapted from the XNUMXth century A guide to passing Advent holyly, asking God to increase a vigilant spirit in us.

Oh, I could say Lord with so much truth the royal Prophet did: "My God soon before the sun rises, I will get up to look for you." I teach you for a long time, my soul thirsts for you with burning desire. Yet I know all too well that for lack of vigilance over my soul I have left it as an uncultivated field where the evil weeds of bad habits have taken but too deeply rooted my heart and it has become prey to a multitude of imperfect attachments and lost many thanks. If the shepherds had slept the angels would not have announced your birth to them. O my Savior, I want to watch like them to profit from it. Lord, awaken my sleeping soul and establish it in Christian vigilance by the authority of your divine Word. Amen