Lord our God, grant that we may be ready to receive Christ when he comes in glory and to share in the banquet of heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
"...ready to receive Christ when he comes in glory..." This is church language. What does it mean? I think, when we pray, we might want to understand what we are saying. The context of this prayer is that the true KING and ruler of the earth is absent. He is going to return, as when a King returns victorious from battle. Coming in glory means that the King will return triumphant as the true and only ruler. All will then see the King as their ruler. A great banquet to honor the King's return will commence, to which we hope to be the invited guests. We must hear "Christ" as a royal title. The bible espouses to a divine monarchy, on which Jesus--the crucified and risen King--is enthroned as ruler forever.
In a free democracy, pledging allegiance to a monarch seems archaic. But, a divine monarchy, in which one perfect and just King is enthroned forever is the bible's political persuasion.
In Advent, we imagine the return of the King to restore order and peace.
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