Christmas Prayers

Christmas Vespers, Western Rite

While all things were in quiet silence, and night was in the midst of her swift course, thine Almighty Word, O Lord, leaped down out of they royal throne, alleluia. Amen.

Christmas Processional, Western Rite, Prudentius

Of the Father's heart begotten,

Ere the world from chaos rose,

He is Alpha: from that fountain

All that is and hath been flows:

He is Omega, of all thing

Yet to come the mystic close.

                    Evermore and evermore.

By his word was all created;

He commanded at 'twas done;

Earth and sky an boundless ocean,

Universe of three in one,

All that see the moon's soft radiance, 

All that breathes beneath the sun.

                    Evermore and evermore.

O how blest that wondrous birthday

When the Maid the curse retrieved,

Brought to birth mankind's salvation,

By the Holy Ghost conceived;

And the Babe the world's Redeemer,

In her loving arms received.

                    Evermore and evermore.

That is he, whom seer and sibyl

Sang in ages long gone by;

This is he of old revealed

In the page of prohecy;

Lo! he comes, the promised Savior;

Let the world his praises cry!

                    Evermore and evermore.

Sing, ye hieghts of heaven, his praises;

Angels and Archangels, sing!

Wheresoe'er ye be, ye faithful,

Let your joyous anthems ring,

Every tongue his name confessing,

Countless voices answering.

                    Evermore and evermore. Amen.

Christmas midnight, Western Rite
O God who has made this most hallowed night resplendent with the glory of the true Light; grant that we who have known the mysteries of that Light on earth, may enter into the fullness of his joys in heaven. Amen.

Mass of Christmas at Dawn, Sarum Rite
Almighty God, who has poured upon us the new light of thine Incarnate Word; grant that the same light enkindled in our hearts may shine forth in our lives; though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preface of the Nativity, Roman Rite
It is very meet and right, just and for salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee: O Lord, holy Father, almighty everlasting God: because through the mystery of the incarnate Word the light of thy glory hath shone anew upon the eyes of our mind: that while we acknowledge God made visible, we may be caught up through him to the love of things invisible. And therefore with angels and archangels, we sing the hymn of thy glory, evermore saying: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Amen.

The Miracle of Christmas (The Gelasian Sacramentary)

We marvel at the miracle, Lord, which you wrought when Jesus was born. She that gave him birth was  a virgin, and he that was born was your child.

     No wonder the heavens sang, the angels rejoiced, the wise men were transformed, the king was seized with fear, and the tiny children were crowned with the glory of martyrdom. He cam to be our spiritual food, yet his mother fed him. He was the bread that came from heaven, yet he was laid in the manger like fodder.

     Then the ox recognized its master and the ass its master. then the Jews recognized their messiah and the Gentiles as their savior. Amen.

At Christmas

Good Jesu, born as at this time,

A little child for love of us;

Be thou born in me, that I may

Be a little child in love of thee;

And hand on thy love as on my

Mother's bosom,

Trustfully, lovingly, peacefully; 

Hushing all my cares in love of thee.

Good Jesu, sweeten every thought of mine

With the sweetness of they love.

Good Jesu, give me a deep love for thee,

That nothing may be too hard for me

To bear for love of thee. Amen.

Hymn for the Annunciation, Orthodox
Today is the crown of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery that is from all eternity. The Son of God becomes Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel announces the good tidings of grace. Therefore let us also join him and cray aloud to the Mother of God: Hail, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee. Amen.

Eastern Orthodox
What shall we offer thee, O Christ,
Who for our sakes hast appeared on earth as man?
Every creature made by thee offers thee thanks.
The angels offer thee a hymn;
The heavens a star;
The magi, gifts;
The shepherds, their wonder;
The earth, its cave;
The wilderness, the manger:
And we offer thee a Virgin Mother.
O God from everlasting, have mercy upon us.

Christ is born, give glory. Christ comes from heaven, meet him. Christ is on earth, be exalted. O all the earth, sing unto the Lord, and sing praises in gladness, O all you people, for he has been glorified.

Wisdom and Word and Power, Christ our God is the Son and the Brightness of the Father; and unknown to the powers both above and upon the earth, he has made man, and so has won us back again: for he has been glorified.

Ephrem the Syrian
The feast day of your birth resembles you, Lord.
Because it brings joy to all humanity.
Old people and infants alike enjoy your day.
Your day is celebrated from generation to generation.
Kings and emperors may pass away,
And festivals to commemorate them soon lapse.
But your festival will be remembered till the end of time.
Your day is a means and a pledge of peace.
At your birth heaven and earth were reconciled,
Since you forgave our sins and wiped away our guilt.
You gave us so many gifts on your birthday:
A treasure chest of spiritual medicines for the sick;
Spiritual light for those that are blind;
The cup of salvation for the thirsty;
The bread of life for the hungry.
In the winter when trees are bare,
You give us the most succulent spiritual fruit.
In the frost when the earth is barren,
You bring new hope to our souls.
In December when seeds are hidden in the soil,
The staff of life springs forth from the virgin womb. Amen.

Bernard of Clairvaux
Let your goodness, Lord, appear to us, that we, made in your image, conform ourselves to it. In our strength we cannot imitate your majesty, power and wonder; nor is it fitting for us to try. But your mercy reaches  from the heavens, through the clouds, to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love. Caress us with your tiny hands, embrace us with your tiny arms, and pierce our hearts with your soft, sweet cries. Amen.

Adam of St. Victor
What is this jewel that is so precious? I can see it has been quarried not by men, but by God.
     It is you, dear Jesus. You have been dug from the rocks of heaven itself to be offered to me as a gift beyond price.
     You shine in the darkness. Every color of the rainbow can be seen within you. the whole earth is bathed in your light.
     Infant Jesus, by being born as a man you have taken upon yourself the pain of death. But such a jewel can never be destroyed.
     You are immortal. And by defying our own death, you shall deliver me from death. Amen.

Karl Barth

O Lord, our King and our Savior! Let us celebrate this festival without false ideas, but with our hearts open to receive your Word, your promise, your commandment. Our grumbles and doubts, our errors and mistakes, our stubbornness and defiance, should trouble us even during these days of joy, because they trouble you. But as we rejoice at your birth in the world, we ask you to accept us and uplift us as we are. And we pray that, in your strength, we shall be willing to be counted amongst the poor and humble, as you counted yourself.

     So we remember before you all our brothers and sisters who are troubled and confused, who are sick in body or in mind, who lack the material means of survival. And we trust that in you the gospel of freedom may be proclaimed more cheerfully and joyfully by both Catholics and Protestants alike, that they become the salt for which the world longs.

     And now may we have a good Christmas. Let us look forward beyond the bright lights of our Christmas decorations towards the dawning of your eternal light. Amen.

Christmas Day, Book of Common Prayer
Almighty God, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made they children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with thee and the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Lutheran Book of Prayer
     Lord Jesus, because You became a babe, we can pray to You and know that God in heaven hears us. As a babe you are Immanuel, God-with-us, God-in-our-place. For this we most heartily thank You, for now we know the God of all love, the God who has drawn close to us that we might draw close to Him.
     How wonderfully You came to take away all our fears and all our doubts! You came as a babe helpless to be our Help. You came as a babe humble to remove our pride. You came as a babe lowly so that we might be lifted up to You. You came as a babe pure so that You might take upon Yourself our sin.
     Help us, Lord, to know You always as You are, so that we need no longer seek far and wide, high and low to find God. Fill us with Your Spirit and bring us again to kneel at Your manger, there to confess: "My Lord and my God!" Amen.

Martin Luther
Ah dearest Jesus, Holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.