Christmas Prayers and Poems

Prayers & Poems
Universe Of Faith
December 18, 2019
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CHRISTMAS PRAYERS AND POEMS

A selection of known and less known Christmas prayers and poems from the Christian and Catholic tradition.

1. A CHRISTMAS PRAYER by Robert Louis Stevenson

“Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”

2. A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS PRAYER by Fr Paul Chetcuti SJ

Christmas is
A gift received to be given,
A life received to be lived,
A time for greatness to be found in smallness,
For the Divine to seek a home in the human,

Dear Jesus, this Christmas my prayer is
that I open my fragile smallness
to the Greatness of the Gift
so as to become part of the Gift.

3. A PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS TIME by Fr Mattat al-Miskin

“If for us the experience of (your) infancy is so difficult, it is not so for you, O Son of God.

If we stumble along the way that leads to communion with you because of your smallness, you are capable of removing all the obstacles that prevent us from doing this.

We know that you will not be at peace until you find us in your likeness and with this (same) smallness. Allow us today, O Son of God, to draw near to your heart.

Grant that we may not consider ourselves great in our experiences. Grant us instead to become small like you, so that we can draw near to you and receive from you abundant humility and meekness.

Do not deprive us of your revelation, the epiphany of your infancy in our hearts, so that with it we can heal all our pride and all our arrogance.

We greatly need for you to reveal in us your simplicity, by drawing us, and indeed the Church and the whole world, to yourself. Our world is weary and exhausted, because everyone is vying to see who is the greatest.

There is a ruthless competition between governments, churches, peoples, within families, from one parish to another: Who of us is the greatest?

The world is festering with painful wounds because of this great illness: Who is the greatest?

But today we have found in you, O Son of God, our one medicine. We, and the whole world, will not find salvation or peace unless we go back to encounter you anew in the manger of Bethlehem.

Amen.”