by Christine Sine
Some of you might be looking for something longer than the prayers I have been posting over the last few days to use during the Christmas season so I thought I would repost this litany from Waiting for the Light. Enjoy
Christmas Litany
God of joy and celebration
God of love and mercy
God of peace and righteousness
We sing aloud and dance with the angels.
The ruler of all worlds, the shepherd of creation
Jesus Christ has come among us.
Our Savior Christ has come,
Not in power, not in might, but in the tenderness of love,
The promise of life hidden in a mother’s womb.
In this season of God with us we celebrate with the angels
We are graced by the wonder of God’s presence
We are filled with the tenderness of Christ’s love,
Pause to light Christ candles
Love and faithfulness meet together,
Righteousness and peace kiss each other,
Faithfulness springs forth from the earth
Shout aloud Hallelujah! God’s faithfulness comes down from heaven,
God has kept his promise, the Savior has been born and a new world begun.
This is the time we believe once more that perfect love casts out fear,
That generosity transforms scarcity into abundance,
That righteousness overcomes oppression with justice.
Shout aloud Hallelujah! God’s faithfulness comes down from heaven,
God has kept his promise, the Savior has been born and a new world begun.
We are graced by Christ’s presence and filled with his love,
May we become bearers of God’s light,
And go out to transform our troubled world.
Shout aloud Hallelujah! God’s faithfulness comes down from heaven
God has kept his promise, the Savior has been born and a new world begun .
Read scriptures of the day from the daily lectionary
The whole earth shouts with joy to God,
The world declares God’s praise.
Praise to the compassionate and gracious One,
Who sent the son to dwell among us.
Praise to the incarnate One, Jesus Christ our Redeemer,
Who fulfills God’s covenant of love to all people.
Praise to the indwelling one, the Holy Spirit giver of life,
Who proclaims God’s mercy and justice throughout the earth.
Praise to the three in One, the One in Three,
Praise to God on high.
Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Pause for a time of prayer and thanksgiving
Jesus you come,
In the voice of the poor,
In the hurting of the sick,
In the anguish of the oppressed.
Open our eyes that we may see you.
Jesus you come,
In the weakness of the vulnerable,
In the questions of the doubting,
In the fears of the dying.
Open our ears that we might hear you.
Jesus you come,
In the celebration of the saints,
In the generosity of the faithful,
In the compassion of the caring.
Open our hearts that we might embrace you.
Almighty God whose great love and compassion came into our world in the person of your incarnate son, Jesus Christ, plant in every heart your concern and care for all humankind. May the light of Christ ignite our hearts and shine out brightly from our lives, proclaiming your salvation to all the earth.
May the light of God shine on us,
May the love of Christ shine in us,
May the life of the Spirit shine through us.
This day and evermore,
Amen.