Nativity of the Lord -25^th December

 

Nativity of the Lord

Christmas

This is the annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated by about three billion Christian people throughout the world. When Mary and Joseph were on their way to attend the enumeration work ordered by the Emperor, Mary suffered labor pain and they have to stay only in a cattle shed in Bethlehem, as they could not get room in the inn and in the cattle shed Jesus was born. Previously Christmas was celebrated on January 6 every year as per the Julian calendar and in 534 A.D. the Christmas day on January 6 was declared a holiday by the Roman Government. From 1743 onwards the Christmas date was changed to December 25 as per the Gregorian calendar, as declared by Pope Julius-I. Christmas is also called Xmas, where the “X” represents the first Greek letter of the Greek word Kristos, meaning Savior or Christ. The word mass means celebration or feast. Christmas derived from “Christs mass” meaning celebration of Christ. The use of Christmas tree during Christmas was first done by Scandinavians, who worshipped trees on festival days, before becoming Christians. After conversion to Christianity, the Scandinavians introduced the tree in the celebration of Christmas. The decoration of the Christmas tree with lights was first introduced by the Prince Albert of England in the year 1841. From 1870 onwards Christmas day was declared as a national holiday in America. In Poland there is a tradition that they observe fasting before Christmas and on Christmas day they gathered together for the feast where they used to keep a seat vacant for Jesus and they place sweets before that empty seat as if serving to Jesus. In Sweden there is a belief that their ancestors who died earlier would visit their houses on Christmas day. It is believed that Jesus Christ was born on a full moon day and rarely full moon falls on December 25. But Christmas day on December 25, 2015 will fall on full moon day. The first Christmas message sent through satellite was by the U.S. President Eisenhower. An island discovered on Christmas day by William Minor in 1643 was named as Christmas Island.

The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ

The Twenty-fifth Day of December, when ages beyond number had run their course from the creation of the world, when God in the beginning created heaven and earth, and formed man in his own likeness; when century upon century had passed  since the Almighty set his bow in the clouds after the Great Flood, as a sign of covenant and peace; in the twenty-first century since Abraham, our father in faith, came out of Ur of the Chaldees; in the thirteenth century since the People of Israel were led by Moses in the Exodus from Egypt; around the thousandth year since David was anointed King;  in the sixty-fifth week of the prophecy of Daniel;  in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;  in the year seven hundred and fifty-two since the foundation of the City of Rome; in the forty-second year of the reign of Caesar Octavian Augustus, the whole world being at peace, JESUS CHRIST, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to consecrate the world by his most loving presence, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and when nine months had passed since his conception, was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judah, and was made man: The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

Prayer for Christmas

Glory to God in the highest! My precious Lord, Jesus, I adore You with profound love and rejoice in the celebration of Your birth. Your love for us is unfathomable, it is glorious, transforming, awe-inspiring, and deeply personal. You chose to come and dwell among us, being born into poverty, rejection and humility. Yet Your mother knew whom she bore, Her heart was filled with the tenderest love as she adored her Child and her God.

Help me, dear Lord, to come to love You with the heart of Your mother. Invite me to adore You with St. Joseph and the poor shepherds. Reveal to me the glorious power of Your birth and change my life on account of this perfect gift of Yourself.

I love You, dear Lord Jesus. Help me to love You with all my heart. Newborn Savior of the World, I trust in You. Mother Mary and St. Joseph, Pray for me and for all.
Amen.

Christ, Candle of Hope

God, our loving Father, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to counter all the forces of evil: sin, suffering and death, and to overcome evil with the force of good; hatred with the power of love, your great love for us in Jesus.

Help us never to curse the darkness, but to join with you in bringing Your light into this world, the light that is your Son, born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem. Help us to be instruments of your light and love by doing one special act of kindness or by being your special instrument of reconciliation this New Year.

May the Christ Candle we light symbolize our desire to bring light into a world of darkness and hope into a world of despair. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer to Jesus in the Manger

O divine redeemer Jesus Christ, prostrate before thy crib, I believe thou art the God of infinite majesty, even though I do see thee here as a helpless babe. I humbly adore and thank thee for having so humbled thyself for my salvation as to will to be born in a stable. I thank thee for all thou didst wish to suffer for me in Bethlehem, for thy poverty and humility, for thy nakedness, tears, cold and sufferings.

Would that I could show thee that tenderness which thy virgin mother had toward thee, and love thee as she did. Would that I could praise thee with the joy of the angels, that I could kneel before thee with the faith of St. Joseph, the simplicity of the shepherds. Uniting myself with these first adorers at the crib, I offer thee the homage of my heart, and I beg that thou wouldst be born spiritually in my soul. Make me reflect in some degree the virtues of thy admirable nativity. Fill me with that spirit of renunciation, of poverty, of humility, which prompted thee to assume the weakness of our nature, and to be born amid destitution and suffering. Grant that from this day forward, I may in all things seek thy greater glory, and may enjoy that peace promised to men of good will.

Prayers at the Nativity Scene

Begin by reading from the Gospel of Luke 2:1-8.

Prayer Before the Manger Scene:

God our Heavenly Father, from the moment of creation you have never ceased showing your love for us. Even when we turned away from you, you did not abandon us to the darkness of sin and death. Indeed, it was when our need was greatest that you sent us a Redeemer—your Son, Jesus—to be born of the Virgin Mary. Bless us as we look upon this manger. May it remind us of the humble birth of Jesus and raise our minds to contemplate the awesome mystery of God-made-flesh. Let this holy season fill us with hope that we might join him in the eternal Kingdom of peace in heaven. Through Christ, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

A Prayer At Christmas

Thank You, Father, that Your times and seasons are pre-ordained and that You sent Your only begotten Son to be born of a woman, so that at the appointed hour He could be made sin for our sins, and in so doing become the propitiation for the sins of all mankind.

Thank You, that in the eternal council chambers of the almighty Godhead, You devised a perfect plan that would save mankind from eternal separation from You, which required that the eternal Son of the Father became flesh and was conceived and born of a virgin.

Lord, we rejoice at the Christmas story and all the wondrous glory that we see unfolded in the manger scene in the little town of Bethlehem, and in the fields, while shepherds watched their flocks by night. We glory at the good news of great joy that was proclaimed by the angel of the Lord, and we are amazed to behold a heavenly choir of angelic beings singing,”glory to God in the highest.” We praise Your name for the visit of the wise men from the east and we grieve at the satanic atrocity that was perpetrated by king Herod on innocent children.

But most of all, we humbly kneel before Your throne of grace when we understand that the baby lying in a manger must one day be crucified to the cruel cross, so that our sins could be forgiven. Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be born so that He could die for our sins. In His name we pray,
Amen.

A Prayer of Thanks At Christmas

Father, we thank You from our innermost being that You sent Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to be born into a fallen race so that by His perfect life and sacrificial death He might be lifted up on the wooden cross, in the same way that Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, so that all who looked would live.

Thank You, Father, for the wonderful plan of salvation that You in Your grace purposed would be the only way that mankind could be saved from His sin, and so You sent Your one and only begotten Son, to be born of a virgin into the human race, God becoming Man, so that man might be eternally clothed in the righteous garments of God.

Thank You that by His human life and physical death, He was able to reconcile us back to God, forgive us of our sins and break the power of death in the lives of all Who believe on His name.

Thank You that from His unpretentious beginning, where he had nowhere to lay His head, to His lifelong submission of the Father, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Thank You, Father, for the birth of My Redeemer and I rejoice in the God of my Saviour. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Prayer of Love and Peace At Christmas

Dear Lord, how we praise and thank You that Love in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ came down at Christmas, when the eternal Son of God became Jesus, the perfect Son of Man, and through Whom the promise of peace was given to men of goodwill. Peace with God to those who trust in the redeeming blood of His Son, and the peace of God, for all who are born into the family of God, positioned in Christ and accepted in the Beloved.

Thank You, for the example of a life that personifies love and thank You that the Person of Jesus Christ is the One that satisfies every need of the human heart.

Father, at this special time of the year when we remember that first Christmas day when Your dearly beloved Son was manifested in the flesh in the form of a new-born babe, we pray that His love and His peace may spread abroad into the hearts and minds of many lost and hurting people, who feel themselves unloved and who lack that vital peace with God and the incomparable peace of God within, that surpasses all comprehension.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit grant peace in the hearts of all who are searching for answers, as to emptiness in their lives, this Christmas time. We ask this in the name of Jesus,
Amen.

Prayer To Prepare Our Hearts This Christmas

Heavenly Father, at this festive season I pray that the real meaning of Christmas will not be missed, and that the precious truth that was given to the shepherds and sung by the angels, will become a reality in the hearts and lives of many people this year.

As we prepare for this lovely season of the year and all the joy that it brings with it, help us not to forget that Christ was born for a purpose. And that as we share our gifts one with the other, may we remember the wonderful gift of grace that was sent into the world 2000 years ago.

As we listen to the Scripture readings and rejoice over the good news that was proclaimed that holy night, let us not forget to thank You for Your gift of grace in the Person of Christ Jesus, knowing that He was sent to earth so that by believing on Him we could go to heaven.

Thank You, Father, that in Christ You made all the good and necessary preparation for sinners to be made righteous through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, by first sending Him at the appointed time to be born into a race of sinners.

May we seek to prepare our hearts for our future heavenly home, knowing that our citizenship is in heaven, and may we spend this Christmas period reflecting on the wonderful truth that Christ Jesus was born into the world to save sinners, like me, for which I praise Your holy name. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Christmas Day Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ, true God from true God, you became a little child for us so the world you made would be saved. Just as a child is born to us and a Son is given to us, may we be born again through you
and always remain in the number of God’s faithful children; through your merits, O blessed Savior, with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Christmas Novena Prayers

O Lord, Word of God, You, whose glory is complete, came to us in perfect humility as a child in the womb. Your love for us and Your humility is unsurpassed and brings us to our knees in prayer and worship. Your incarnation forever changed the world.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.

O Lord, infant Jesus, fill us with Joy! The birth of any child is a cause for joy and so much more is the birth of You, our Savior. We pray in union with Mary, Your mother, for a greater joy this Christmas. We also pray for these intentions… (State your intentions here)
May Your Holy Will be done in my life and with these intentions.
We pray that the work of salvation that Your first coming began will reach fulfillment in each of us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen

Christmas Novena

Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold
At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
To hear my prayers and grant my desires
(mention request here)
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.

Day One: God’s Love Revealed In His Becoming Man
O Great Son of God, Thou hast become man in order to make Thyself loved by men. But where is the love that men give Thee in return? Thou hast given Thy life blood to save our souls. Why then are we so unappreciative that, instead of repaying Thee with love, we spurn Thee with ingratitude? And I, Lord, I myself more than others have thus ill treated Thee. But Thy Passion is my hope. For the sake of that love which led Thee to take upon Thyself human nature and to die for me on the cross, forgive me all the offenses I have committed against Thee. I love Thee, O Word Incarnate; I love Thee, O infinite goodness. Out of love for Thee, that I could die of grief for these offenses. Give me, O Jesus, Thy love. Let me no longer live in ungrateful forgetfulness of the love Thou bearest me. I wish to love Thee always. Grant that I may always preserve in this holy desire. O Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, pray for me that thy Son may give me the grace to love Him always, unto death.
Amen.

Day Two: God’s Love Revealed In His Being Born An Infant
O Dearest Infant! Tell me, what hast Thou come on earth to do? Tell me, whom art Thou seeking? Yes, I already know. Thou has come to die for me, in order to save me from hell. Thou hast come to seek me, the lost sheep, so that, instead of fleeing from Thee any more, I may rest in Thy loving arms. Ah my Jesus, my treasure, my life, my love and my all! Whom will I love, if not Thee? Where can I find a father, a friend, a spouse more loving and lovable than Thou art? I love Thee, my dear God; I love Thee, my only good. I regret the many years when I have not loved Thee, but rather spurned and offended Thee. Forgive me, O my beloved Redeemer; for I am sorry that I have thus treated Thee, and I regret it with all my heart. Pardon me, and give me the grace never more to withdraw from Thee, but constantly to love Thee in all the years that still lie before me in this life. My love, I give myself entirely to Thee; accept me, and do not reject me as I deserve. O Mary, thou art my advocate. By thy prayers thou dost obtain whatever thou wilt from thy Son. Pray Him then to forgive me, and to grant me holy perseverance until death.
Amen.

Day Three: The Life of Poverty which Jesus Led From His Birth
O Dear Infant Jesus, how could I be so ungrateful and offend Thee so often, if I realized how much Thou hast suffered for me? But these tears which Thou sheddest, this poverty which Thou embracest for love of me, make me hope for the pardon of all the offenses I have committed against Thee. My Jesus, I am sorry for having so often turned my back on Thee. But now I love Thee above all else. ‘My God and my all! From now on Thou, O my God, shalt be my only treasure and my only good. With Saint Ignatius of Loyola I will say to Thee, ‘Give me the grace to love Thee; that is enough for me.’ I long for nothing else; I want nothing else. Thou alone art enough for me, my Jesus, my life, my love. O Mary, my Mother, obtain for me the grace that I may always love Jesus and always be loved by Him.
Amen.

Day Four: The Life of Humiliation which Jesus Led from His Birth
O Dearest Savior, Thou hast embraced so many outrages for love of me, yet I have not been able to bear one word of insult without at once being filled with resentful thought, I who have so often deserved to be trodden under foot by the demons in hell! I am ashamed to appear before Thee, sinful and proud as I am. Yet do not drive me from Thy presence, O Lord, even though that is what I deserve. Thou hast said that Thou wilt not spurn a contrite and humbled heart. I am sorry for the offenses I have committed against Thee. Forgive me, O Jesus. I will not offend Thee again. For love of me Thou hast borne so many injuries; for love of Thee I will bear all the injuries that are done to me. I love Thee, Jesus, who was despised for love of me. I love Thee above every other good. Give me the grace to love Thee always and to bear every insult for love of Thee. O Mary, recommend me to Thy Son; pray to Jesus for me.
Amen.

Day Five: The Life of Sorrow which Jesus Led from His Birth
O Jesus, my sweet Love! I too have kept Thee suffering through all Thy life. Tell me, then, what I must do in order to win Thy forgiveness. I am ready to do all Thou askest of me. I am sorry, O sovereign Good, for all the offenses I have committed against Thee. I love Thee more than myself, or a least I feel a great desire to love Thee. Since it is Thou who hast given me this desire, do Thou also give me the strength to love Thee exceedingly. It is only right that I, who have offended Thee so much, should love Thee very much. Always remind me of the love Thou hast borne me, in order that my soul may ever burn with love of Thee and long to please Thee alone. O God of love, I, who was once a slave of hell, now give myself all to Thee. Graciously accept me and bind me to Thee with the bonds of Thy love. My Jesus, from this day and forever in loving Thee will I live, and in loving Thee will I die. O Mary, my Mother and my hope, help me to love Thy dear God and mine. This is the only favor I ask of thee, and through thee I hope to receive it.
Amen.

Day Six: God’s Mercy Revealed in His Coming down from Heaven to Save Us
O my Dear Redeemer! Where should I be now, if Thou hadst not borne with me so patiently, but hadst called me from life while I was in the state of sin? Since Thou hast waited for me till now, forgive me quickly, O my Jesus, before death finds me still guilty of so many offenses that I have committed against Thee. I am so sorry for having vilely despised Thee, my sovereign Good, that I could die of grief. But Thou canst not abandon a soul that seeks Thee. If hitherto I have forsaken Thee, I now seek Thee and love Thee. Yes, my God, I love Thee above all else; I love Thee more than myself. Help me, Lord, to love Thee always during the rest of my life. Nothing else do I seek of Thee. But this I beg of Thee, this I hope to receive from Thee. Mary, my hope, do thou pray for me. If thou prayest for me, I am sure of grace.
Amen.

Day Seven: Flight of the Child Jesus into Egypt
Dear Infant Jesus, crying so bitterly! Well hast Thou reason to weep in seeing Thyself persecuted by men whom Thou lovest so much. I, too, O God, have once persecuted Thee by my sins. But Thou knowest that now I love Thee more than myself, and that nothing pains me more than the thought that I have so often spurned Thee, my sovereign Good. Forgive me, O Jesus, and let me bear Thee with me in my heart n all the rest of the journey that I have still to make through life, so that together with Thee I may enter into eternity. So often have I driven Thee from my soul by my sins. But now I love Thee above all things, and I regret above other misfortunes that I have offended Thee. I wish to leave Thee no more, my beloved Lord. But do Thou give me the strength to resist temptations. Never permit me to be separated from Thee again. Let me rather die than ever again lose Thy good grace. O Mary, my hope, make me always live in God’s love and then die in loving Him.
Amen.

Day Eight: The Life of the Child Jesus in Egypt and in Nazareth
O Jesus, my Savior! When I consider how, for love of me, Thou didst spend thirty years of Thy life hidden and unknown in a poor workshop, how can I desire the pleasures and honors and riches of the world? Gladly do I renounce all these things, since I wish to be Thy companion on this earth, poor as Thou wast, mortified and humble as Thou wast, so that I may hope to be able one day to enjoy Thy companionship in heaven. What are all the treasures and kingdoms of this world? Thou, O Jesus, art my only treasure, my only Good! I keenly regret the many times in the past when I spurned Thy friendship in order to satisfy my foolish whims. I am sorry for them with all my heart. For the future I would rather lose my life a thousand times than lose Thy grace by sin. I wish never to offend Thee again, but always to love Thee. Help me to remain faithful to Thee until death. O Mary, thou art the refuge of sinners, thou art my hope.
Amen.

Day Nine: The Birth of Jesus in the Stable of Bethlehem
O Adorable Infant Jesus! I should not have the boldness to cast myself at Thy feet, if I did not know that Thou Thyself invitest me to draw near Thee. It is I who by my sins have made Thee shed so many tears in the stable of Bethlehem. But since Thou hast come on earth to pardon repentant sinners, forgive me also, now that I am heartily sorry for having spurned Thee, my Savior and my God, who art so good and who hast loved me so much. In this night, in which Thou bestowest great graces on so many souls, grant Thy heavenly consolation to this poor soul of mine also. All that I ask of Thee is the grace to love Thee always, from this day forward, with all my heart. Set me all on fire with Thy holy love. I love Thee, O my God, who hast become a Babe for love of me. Never let me cease from loving Thee ever more. O Mary, Mother of Jesus and my Mother, thou canst obtain everything from thy Son by thy prayers. This is the only favor I ask of Thee. Do thou pray to Jesus for me.
Amen.

Midnight Mass

 

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