Catholic Prayer: Christmas Evening Prayers

Description:

In the evening families may again use the official prayers from the liturgy of the Church.

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: May the Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end.

All: Alleluia.

Father: Be sober, be watchful! For your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith.

All: Thanks be to God.

Father: Our help is in the Name of the Lord.

All: Who made heaven and earth.

Father: I confess to Almighty God,

All: to blessed Mary ever Virgin, / to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, / to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you my family, / that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: / through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. / Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, / blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, / the holy apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints, and you my family, / to pray to the Lord our God for me. Since children love to sing their prayers, any Christmas carol or hymn such as Silent Night or Adeste Fidelis may be sung at this time. (When children are very, very tired we simply sing a hymn and call that our evening prayer.)

Father: Protect us, Lord, while we are awake and safeguard us while we sleep, that we may keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Mother: Sing to the Lord a new song, Sing to the Lord, all you lands.

All: Sing to the Lord, bless His Name; announce His salvation, day after day.

Mother: Tell His glory among the nations among the people His wondrous deeds.

All: For great is the Lord and highly to be praised, awesome is He, beyond all gods.

Mother: For all the gods of the nations are things of naught, but the Lord made the heavens.

All: Splendor and majesty go before Him, praise and grandeur are in His sanctuary.

Mother: Give to the Lord, you families of nations, give to the Lord glory and praise, give to the Lord the glory due His name!

All: Bring gifts and enter His courts, worship the Lord in holy attire.

Mother: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice, let the sea and what fills it resound, let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!

All: Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the Lord, for He comes, for He comes to rule the earth.

Mother: He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with His constancy.

All: Protect us, Lord, while we are awake and safeguard us while we sleep, that we may keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Father: O Lord, hear my prayer.

All: And let my cry come to You.

Father: Let us pray. Visit this home, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy. Let Thy holy Angels dwell herein who may keep us in peace, and let Thy blessing be always upon us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.

All: Alleluia.

Father: May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, keep us forever.

All: Alleluia.

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