Catholic Prayer: Christmas Morning Prayers

Description:

Children love to pray when they realize that they are saying the same prayers as Catholics all over the world. At Christmas it is easy to introduce such prayers as a family custom. These morning prayers, with variations on special feast days, are said from Christmas eve until Candlemas. They may be used whole or in part depending on the ages of the children in one's family.

Prayers in our house are said at the crib during Christmas. It might be well for parents to meditate on the words of Abbot Marmion:

When we would penetrate into the sanctuaries of God's secrets, He says to us; "This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him." This is the solution of all: Jesus stretching out His little arms to us in the crib is God. As we gaze on Jesus, we have no difficulty in understanding that God is love.

Prayer:

Mother: Christ is born to us!

All: Come, let us adore Him.

Father: To the King of the Ages, who is immortal, invisible, the one only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

All: Thanks be to God.

Father: Arise, O Christ, and help us.

All: And deliver us for Your Name's sake. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Father: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation.

All: But deliver us from evil.

Father: O Lord, hear my prayer.

All: And let my cry come to You.

Father: Let us pray. O Lord God Almighty, who hast brought us to the beginning of this day, preserve us in the same by Thy power that during this day we may not fall into any sin, but that all our words, thoughts and work may be directed to doing Thy holy will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.

All: Alleluia.

Mother: This day Christ is born, this day the Savior has appeared. This day Angels are singing on earth, Archangels are rejoicing. This day the just are glad and say:

All: Glory to God in the highest, alleluia.

When children in our family are late or fussy, we sing the morning offering learned during babyhood:

Good morning, dear God, we offer to You our thoughts, words and actions and all that we do.

This is followed by the Lord's Prayer, a Hail Mary, and an appropriate ejaculation.

Prayer Source: Christmas to Candlemas in a Catholic Home by Helen McLoughlin, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota