Written by Benoît Santos - Updated on Oct 27, 2024
Christmas: an event eagerly awaited by Christians every year
Christmas is most certainly one of the biggest events of the year. This holiday is celebrated all over the world by billions of people. Christmas is primarily a Christian holiday , but that doesn't stop non-believers from celebrating it as well.
Christmas celebrations are very special because they herald the approach of the New Year. Christmas is celebrated every December 25th . This date does not actually correspond to the birth of Christ, but it was chosen because it corresponded to an ancient tradition marking renewal.
What does Christmas mean to Christian believers?
Jesus Christ came to earth to save humanity that continues to run towards its perdition. He did not hesitate to offer his life to save all those who believe in God. Jesus accepted to live among humans to be able to guide them on the right path.
The birth of Christ is therefore one of the greatest events for Christian believers. Indeed, the coming of the Savior is an unexpected opportunity to renew ties with the Creator. Christmas should be celebrated in this spirit, because it is above all a Christian celebration.
Celebrating Christmas with Prayers
Prayer is a means to enter into communion with God. The practice of this act of faith is a real necessity for the believer. It is entirely legitimate to thank God for having offered us his only son. This is a very great proof of love, if not the ultimate proof.
Prayer should play an important role in Christmas celebrations . Believers should focus on the spiritual aspect of these holidays, because that is where their essence lies. Nothing prevents them from celebrating like everyone else. But as a believer, it is important to always turn to God, especially during an event as grandiose as the celebrations of the nativity.
Let us begin by dressing our hearts with the prayers of Advent to fully experience the spirit of Christmas.
Lord I welcome you
Lord,
In this time of Advent
I want to prepare to welcome you.
Help me to walk in joy and confidence
On the path that leads to you.
Inspire me to act in a sharing way
Of forgiveness and peace
To announce around me
The Good News of your coming among men.
Sylvie Candès
Prayers before Christmas
The prayer of Saint Jude guides our minds and hearts to the true value of Christmas
Prayer 1 - Prayer of Saint Jude
Lord Jesus, your power is infinite, your glory eternal . Without making a sound you come, in the form of a little child. Prepare my heart for the miracle of your birth. Bring light to this dark world, which silently awaits your warmth in the cold of the night. The wait itself is a grace, animating my heart with impatient joy.
As I await your coming, grant me patience and faithfulness in prayer. Saint Jude, instrument of infinite hope, may I be flooded with your holiness.
May the joy of Christmas and burning love take root in me and grow, so that they may blossom on Christmas Day and enable me to bring joy to the world and make room for hope to renew the face of the Earth.
Prayer 2
O Holy Spirit, lead me to my land of Peace, where resides your grace of serenity that I desire so much!
This coming Christmas, may my eyes turn to you Jesus, desiring nothing but your soothing presence.
Come Holy Spirit, burn my heart, open my eyes so that I can grasp your perfect plan for my life!
Amen!
Prayer during Christmas Eve
Oh sublime Yahweh! Out of love for one another, you took human form to be with us.
Did I dream during the night
The mystery of Christmas is inexhaustible… How beautiful and great is our responsibility as Christians, both to explore it and to bear witness to it! May the wisdom of our God touch us on this night of the Birth of his Son, a birth that is always unique and renewed. A birth that reminds us that divine Life, until the end of the world, will be in gestation at the heart of the created universe. He has come, he is coming and he will come, the Lord of the universe, to knock at the door of our hearts, asking permission to enter to make LOVE, JUSTICE and PEACE explode.
The Daughters of Wisdom
CHRISTMAS DAY:
Luke 2:13-14:
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”
John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The gratuity of a love
Jesus, where you were born, in the midst of Joseph and Mary, your manger was not closed.
Everyone could enter.
Jesus, when you were born, you wanted everyone to be able to come and see you
because you came for everyone.
Before you were born, Jesus, Joseph and Mary had not found
than houses with closed doors: closed to the secret of God.
They found a stable open, a poor stable.
My heart, it can also be open or closed to love.
My hands, they can also be open or closed to give.
My life can also be opened or closed to make it live.
Today, Jesus, you are no longer born in a stable;
but you want to be born, to tell the secret of God,
in all homes, in all hearts.
You want to place the kiss of God on all faces.
You want millions of nativity scenes to inhabit the world.
You want millions of hearts to give your peace on earth.
You want millions of faces to give the peace of God.
You want millions of Christmases to give your Christmas.
Open houses closed by fear or wealth.
Open hearts closed by sorrow or selfishness.
Open faces closed by anger or lack of love.
Jesus, come open our smiles and our lips,
come open our homes and our hearts to say with You: Glory to God, our Father!
Brother Elie Maréchal
The Child of Bethlehem
Isaiah 9:6
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Sweet child of Bethlehem,
grant us communion
with all our soul
to the deep mystery of Christmas.
Put this peace in the hearts of men
which they sometimes seek so fiercely,
and that only You can give them.
Help them know themselves better,
and to live fraternally
as sons of the same Father.
Show them your beauty,
Your holiness and purity.
Awaken in their hearts
love and gratitude
for your infinite goodness.
Unite them all in Your charity
and give us your heavenly peace.
John XXIII (Prayer, n°257 December 2003)
Prayer for the day after Christmas
Luke chapter 2, verse 19:
“Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Let us keep these moments of blessing in our hearts and in our memories.
Let us pray,
Thanks be to you, faithful God and heavenly Father, for all that you have done for us during this beautiful Christmas celebration !
Grant that we may keep a blessing that lasts for eternity.
May the sweet message that we have heard again rejoice and console us, at a time when the end of a new year reminds us of the rapid flight of time and the fragility of our lives.
You remain when everything leaves us, no power of this world can separate us from you and your love.
Strengthen us in faith, so that we may not stray from you, but may treasure the salvation that your beloved Son has purchased for us.
Amen
Turning to God for Christmas
Christmas is a particularly joyous holiday. But remember that it is because God has granted us his grace that we can still enjoy it. Believers can claim salvation because God offered his only son to guide them and put them back on the right path. Without this act of his great love, we would have no joyous holiday to celebrate at the end of each year.
On our site you can find prayers to give thanks to God. You will find prayers for different occasions. You will also find tips and tricks to put them into practice.
Nowadays, the spiritual aspect of Christmas celebrations is neglected in favor of the festive side. Christmas is mostly associated with gifts and copious meals in our time. It is important to remember that this celebration represents the birth of Christ, our savior. Traditions are there to remind us of this, even if we sometimes forget it. Prayer is an excellent way to religiously celebrate the celebrations of the nativity .
If you would like to receive our prayer news, we invite you to subscribe to our newsletter. You can also discover all our prayer articles already published on our site. Here is one: The Prayer for All Saints' Day .
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