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relationship between the Divine Realm and the “earthly city”, but to equip and fit us, precisely as Church, for participation in public life as agency in manifesting the Divine Realm. The penitential elements of Advent litanies, therefore, should assume the interplay of the politico-social-economic spectrum on any level of community. Furthermore, the broad but specific categories of government, commerce, environment, and religion should invariably be included. Finally, in view of the suggested punctiliar and continuing dynamic of such penitence, the final prayer or collect offered by the presider at the end of the litany should include both an absolution/declaration of forgiveness as well as an encouragement for the worshiping assembly to grow in the demonstration of its purposed amendment of life. Finally, in the observance of an expanded Advent, it has previously been suggested that the Scriptural Christ-titles that form the Great “O” Antiphons be used to designate the various Sundays of the season.19 As a particular expression of this approach, the litanies composed for the successive Sundays could be focused on Wisdom, Lord of Might, King of Nations, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Morning Star, and Emmanuel. The congregational responses to the petitions of the Prayers of the People, including now the penitential elements, could be employed in forming the address of those responses (e.g., “O Wisdom of God...; O Lord of Might...; &c). The concluding collect could also be initiated with such a particular address. For example: O Emmanuel, God with Us: mercifully hear these our prayers for others, for ourselves, and for your whole creation; help us to receive your forgiveness for hardness of heart, absence of mind, and failure of will; and give us the grace to grow in the knowledge and love of you and in the service of your Reign. Amen.
A Note on the Choreography of Intercession Before concluding this paper with exemplary elements for the Prayers of the People during an Advent (expanded or truncated), I want to make a suggestion about the liturgical placement of the deacon or other person appointed to lead the Prayers of the People. This proposal is not specific to the Advent season, but that season would, nevertheless, be an excellent time to introduce it. Furthermore, though the suggested practice is not as widespread as it deserves to be, there are some congregations that have already adopted the following practice. In many churches, the person leading the intercessions stands before the congregation at a lectern or an ambo. As petitions are read, the effect is not so much that of inviting people to prayer, but of making announcements. From a dramatic point of view, this looks and feels as if the Prayers of the People are a dialogue between the intercessor and the congregation. A very different look and feel to these prayers would occur if the one leading the intercessions did not stand over against the congregation, but, rather, stood in the midst of the worshiping assembly facing the altar. Then, in terms of liturgical choreography, it would appear that
