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Traditional Family
Customs
For Christmas
For A Truly Blessed Christmas
Many ways of keeping Christ in Christmas
Advent, the four week period preceding Christmas, is considered a time
of penance in anticipation of the joyous Birth of Christ. It is unfortunate that
many know this time on the calendar only as a time for over-indulgence.
There are various Christmas customs that can help the
children realize that this is a special and spiritual time of year. Weeks before
Christmas day, the Christ Child’s crib can be set up and a straw placed in it as
each good deed, act of penance or self denial is performed by one of the
children. Significantly, the Christ Child should not be placed in the crib until
Christmas Eve.
The
reading of special Psalms and prayers have been requested by the Blessed Mother
during the days leading to Christmas. Here at the Shrine, three Fridays of
Advent from noon to one-thirty, special prayers are said in memory of the
sufferings Mary Ann endured on these days. The Friday before Christmas The
Nativity Story, as visioned and narrated by Mary Ann, is read aloud since it
was on this day each year she had the privilege and joy of viewing Our Lord’s
birth and the events that surrounded this momentous occasion.
It is the
custom here each Christmas Eve to sing Christmas Carols at the Sacred Spot and
then proceed to the Nativity Cave where the Infant Jesus is placed in the Crib.
Bring
Bethlehem to your home by setting up a Nativity Stable. Nativity Cribs or large
Nativity posters are an effective effort to keep Christ in Christmas, and when
placed in the yard and spotlighted, are especially attractive. One Minnesota
couple placed their large Nativity poster on their camper which they parked near
the street for all passersby to view.
Through
the years we have been encouraged to find that many stores, banks and other
business places are willing to display the Nativity Scene. It is important to
make a favorable comment to those businesses who do display the Christian theme
of Christmas.
It is a
good time to voice disapproval of anything that desecrates Christmas or any
pornography that is displayed or sold while you are Christmas shopping. Be sure,
too, that your own Christmas cards depict Christ’s Birthday. You will find that
Christmas is a happier time if some of your effort is expended in Keeping Christ
in Christmas as His Mother pleaded with all of us to do. She warned that there
would be no peace until Her Infant Son is placed back into the crib and our
minds and hearts focused on Him. Your efforts will help and God will bless you.
Put Christ
Back Into Christmas
Make an Advent Wreath
Blessing of a Christmas
tree
Christmas Prayers
Excerpts from Message of St. Nicholas
Dec 6, 1968
Hour of Grace
Blessing of a Crib
Christmas Eve Program
Birth of Christ gospel story
Christmas Caroles
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena
Make An Advent Wreath
THE ADVENT WREATH CUSTOM is an expression of our longing for the coming of The
Saviour through grace at Christmas and for His second and final coming in glory.
Originating in Germany
several hundred years ago, it has become a
cherished custom for many families throughout America. Children are deeply impressed with
the beautiful symbolism of the Advent Wreath.
Their anticipation of Christmas, the Birthday of Christ, increases as the
ceremonies progress each week of Advent.
To Assemble the Wreath,
use a circular form (wire or wood) on which you can secure green foliage. Using thin wire or thread, wire or tie
clusters of evergreen branches to the circle.
Insert four equally spaced candles -
three purple and one pink. (If not available, four white candles are appropriate).
Decorate the Wreath with purple ribbon and place it on a table.
The Candles Represent the four weeks of Advent, and every Sunday an additional candle is lit,
the pink one being reserved for the third Sunday.
The family gathers daily
around the Advent Wreath, generally before the
evening meal. The proper number of
candles are lit. Then the prayer of
the week is said. When other lights
in the room are extinguished during the prayer, the gentle glow of the lit
candle, or candles, will provide an inspirational atmosphere of reverence.
The Blessing of the Advent Wreath by the father takes
place on the First Sunday of Advent.
The following prayer can be used:
Father:
Our help is in the name of the
Lord.
All:
Who made heaven and earth.
Father:
Let us pray.
O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth Thy blessing
upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may
prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus and may receive from Thee abundant
graces, through Christ our Lord.
All:
Amen.
He sprinkles the Wreath with Holy Water.
The daily Advent Wreath ceremony follows
First Week:
(To be repeated each day of first week)
The youngest child lights the first purple candle, and the
following prayer is said: (The candle is allowed to burn during the evening
meal.)
Father:
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All:
Who made heaven and earth.
Father: O Lord, we pray You, stir up Thy power, and come; that
by Your protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of
our sins and to be saved by Your deliverance.
Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, world without end. All: Amen.
Second Week:
(To be repeated each day of second week)
The oldest child lights the first and second purple candles, and
the following prayer is said: (The candles are allowed to burn during the
evening meal.)
Father: O Lord, stir up our hearts, to prepare the ways of Thy only begotten Son, that we may attain
to serve You with purified minds, through His advent. Who with You lives, and reigns in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
All:
Amen.
Third Week:
(To be repeated each day of third
week)
The mother lights the first two
purple candles and the pink candle, and the following prayer is said: (The
candles are allowed to burn during the evening meal.)
Father:
O Lord, we beg Thee, incline Thine ear to our
prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation,
through Christ our Lord. Who live
and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world
without end.
All:
Amen.
Fourth Week:
(To be repeated each day of fourth week)
The father lights all four
candles, and the following prayer is said: (The candles are allowed to burn
during the evening meal.)
Father:
Stir up Thy power, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and
come; and with Thy great might help us, that with the help of Thy grace, Thy
merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede, through Christ Our Lord. Who live and reign with God the
Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
All:
Amen.
Now the penitential season of Advent
is over and the time to rejoice is at hand.
The Advent Wreath is
transformed into a Christmas Wreath.
The ribbons and candles are replaced with red ribbon and long red tapers (to be
lit at breakfast on Christmas morning) if desired. Other festive decorations can be
added. The Christmas Wreath should
be displayed in a prominent place, either on a mantle or table. It can be kept until the feast of the
Epiphany.
Blessing of a Christmas Tree
For the Home
(back to top)
The father of the family recites the antiphon.
The psalm is then said alternately by the rest of the family
Antiphon:
Let all the trees of the forest sing for joy, for the
Lord has come.
Psalm 95: Sing to
the Lord a new song. Sing unto the
Lord, all the earth. Sing to the
Lord. Bless His name. Proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
For great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, to be feared above all the gods. For all the gods of the heathen are
vain idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Majesty and beauty are before Him.
Power and splendor are in His sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples. Ascribe to the
Lord glory and power. Ascribe to the
Lord the glory due to His name.
Offer sacrifice and enter His courts. Worship the Lord in
attire. Tremble before Him, all the
earth. Proclaim among the nations,
“the Lord is king.” He has
established the world that it be not moved.
He rules the people with equity.
Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad. Let the sea and all that it contains
resound. Let the fields exult, and
all that is in them.
Then shall the trees of the forest rejoice before the Lord. For
He comes. For He comes to rule the
earth.
He will rule the world with justice, and the peoples according to His faithfulness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
The Antiphon is repeated by everyone: Let all the trees of the forest sing for joy, for the Lord has
come.
Chapter:
The mother of the family reads the chapter: After the fall of our
first parents the
earth was bare and desolate. The world stood in the darkness of
sin. But when the
Savior was born, our earth shone with a new brightness. The
glory of the Almighty had
renewed the world, making it more beautiful than before. This
tree once stood dark and
empty in a cold world. But now resplendent with lights and
bright adornments in its new
glory this Christmas tree reflects the new beauty that God brought to earth when “the
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” By a tree the whole
world has been
redeemed, and therefore, with great joy we celebrate the glory of this tree.
From the
Gospel of Saint Luke:
One of the children reads: At that time it came to pass that while Mary and
Joseph
were at Bethlehem, the days for her to be delivered were fulfilled.
And she brought
forth her first-born son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a
manger, because there was no room for him in the inn. And there
were shepherds in
the same district living in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks by night. And
behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them and the glory of God shone about them and
they feared exceedingly. And the angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid, for behold, I
bring you news of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there has been born to
you today in the town of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And suddenly there
was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
All recite: GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, * and on earth peace to men of good will. * We praise Thee. We bless Thee. * We
adore Thee. We glorify Thee. * We give
Thee thanks for Thy great glory. * O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father
Almighty. * O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. * O Lord God, Lamb of
God, Son of the Father. * Thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy
on us. * Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. *
For Thou only art holy. * Thou only art the Lord. * Thou only Jesus Christ, art
most high. * With the Holy Ghost, * in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
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Prayer:
Father: Christ is the
tree of life.
All:
In the midst of the paradise of delights.
Father:
He is the tree.
All:
We are the branches.
Father:
In Him was life.
All:
And the life was the light of men.
Father:
The Lord be with you.
ALL:
And with thy spirit.
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The father of the family reads:
Let us pray. Bless, we beseech Thee, O Holy God,
Father Almighty, this noble tree that we have adorned in honor of the new birth
of Thy only-begotten Son, and do Thou so adorn our souls with the manifold
beauties of Thy graces that being internally enlightened by the splendor
radiating from this tree, we, like the wisemen, may come to adore Him who is the
eternal Light and Beauty, the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord.
All:
Amen.
IMPRIMATUR:
WJohn P. Cody, D.D., Apostolic Administrator of St. Joseph
Imprimi potest:
WStephen, O.S.B., Abbot of Conception Abbey
PRAYERS TO BE SAID
FOR CHRISTMAS
(back to top)
December 6, 1968
— Feast of St. Nicholas
December 18th
Prayer of the Immaculate Conception: O God, by
the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, Thou prepared a worthy habitation of
Thy Son. We beseech Thee, that, as
by the foreseen death of Thy same Son Thou preserved Her from all stain of sin,
so Thou would grant us also, through Her intercession, to come to Thee with pure
hearts. Through the same our Lord
Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer of the First Sunday of
Advent:
O Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power, and
come; that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening
dangers of our sins, and to be saved by Thy deliverance. Who live and reign with God the
Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
December 19th
Prayer of the Holy Name of Mary: Grant, we
beseech Thee, Almighty God, that Thy faithful people, who delight in the name
and protection of the most Holy Virgin Mary, may by Her loving intercession, be
delivered from all evils on earth and deserve to enter into everlasting joys in
Heaven. Through the same our
Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
Amen.
Prayer of the First Sunday of
Advent: ( as on the 18th)
December 20th
Prayer of the Nativity of Our Blessed Mother: Bestow upon
Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy Heavenly Grace, that as
the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so
the votive feast of Her Nativity may bring us an increase of Peace. Through the same our Lord Jesus
Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer of the Second Sunday of
Advent:
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways
of Your Only-begotten Son, that we may attain to serve Thee with purified minds,
through His Advent. Who with Thee
lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
December 21st
Prayer of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: Almighty and
eternal God, Thou prepared in the Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a worthy
dwelling place for the Holy Ghost; mercifully grant, that we, who devoutly
celebrate the feast of that Immaculate Heart, may be able to live according to
Thy Heart. Through the same our Lord
Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer of the Second Sunday of Advent: (as on the 20th )
December 22nd
Prayer of the Maternity of the Blessed Mother: O God, Thou
willed that, at the message of an angel, Thy Word should take flesh in the womb
of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant to Thy suppliant people, that we, who believe
Her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by Her intercession with Thee. Through the same our Lord Jesus
Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer of the Third Sunday of Advent:
Incline Thy ear to our prayers, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and brighten the
darkness of our minds by the Grace of Thy visitation. Who live and reigns with God the Father,
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
December 23rd
Prayer of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Bestow upon us Thy Servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy
Heavenly grace, that as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning
of our salvation, so the votive feast of Her Visitation may bring us an increase
of Peace. Through the same our Lord
Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer of the Third Sunday of Advent: ( as on the 22nd )
December 24th
Prayer of the Nativity of Our Lord: O God, Who gladden us by the annual expectation of our redemption, grant
that we who now joyfully, welcome, Thy Only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may
also, without fear, behold Him coming as our Judge, even the same Lord Jesus
Christ Thy Son. Who with Thee lives
and reigns in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer of the Fourth Sunday of Advent:
Stir up Thy power, we beseech Thee, O Lord and come, and succor us with great might, that, by the help
of Thy Grace, what is kindered by our sins, may be hastened by the bounty of Thy
mercy. Who live and reign with God the
Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, would without end. Amen.
Excerpts from the Message given by St. Nicholas, Dec.
6, 1968
After 3 hours of suffering:
(back to top)
“St. Nick wants us to observe this
day in a pleasant and pleasing and giving way.
We are supposed to, after this, celebrate.
Gather together with a spirit of Christmas. It’s the beginning of Advent. It is just before the period of the
Expectation;
and, then after this, we are supposed to
sacrifice and offer penance until the feast of the Expectation. From this day until the eve of
Christmas, we are supposed to prepare ourselves in a holy way. There are psalms and verses and
prayers that we can use on this day.
Put the Crib up on the feast of St. Nicholas, but leave the Christ Child out of it. Bring forth songs appropriate, and
any kind of work appropriate to this day, the birth of Christ.” (The Crib in your home will be an
inspiration for all to anticipate the coming of the Christ Child, especially for
your little children).
Psalms may be found in the
Bible’s Book of Psalms. Suggested reading
appropriate during the Advent season, such as:
Psalms: 2, 18, 20, 23, 24, 49, 79, 84, 109,
118, and 144.
Let’s Do All We Can To Put Christ Back Into Christmas!
Hour of Grace
(Requested by the Blessed Mother)
(back to top)
1. Day and time of “Hour Of Grace”:
December 8th Feast of the Immaculate Conception. . .to be 12 noon 1:00
p.m.
(one full hour of prayer).
2. During this hour the person making
the “Hour of Grace”, either at home or in Church, must put away all
distractions. (Do not answer the
telephone, or answer any doors, or do anything but totally concentrate on your
union with God during this Special Hour of Grace.)
3. Begin the “Hour of Grace” by praying
the 51st Psalm three times with outstretched arms.
4. The rest of the “Hour of Grace” may
be spent in silent communication with God, meditating upon the Passion of Jesus,
saying the Holy Rosary, praising God in your own way or by using favorite
prayers, singing hymns, meditating upon other Psalms, etc.
Psalm 51
— The Miserere:
Prayer of Repentance (A psalm of David when Nathan
the prophet came to him after his sin with Bathsheba.)
1. Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in
your abundant compassion blot out my offense.
2.
Wash Me thoroughly from mine iniquity; and cleanse me
from my sin.
3. For I acknowledge my transgressions:
and my sin is ever before me.
4.
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight; that
Thou mightiest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.
5. Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and
in sin did my mother conceive me.
6. Behold, Thou desirest truth in the
inward parts; and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be
clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8. Make me to hear joy and gladness;
that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.
9. Turn away Thy Face from my sins; and
blot out all mine iniquities.
10. Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.
11. Cast me not away from Thy Presence;
and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
12. Restore unto me the joy of Thy
salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.
13. Then will I teach transgressors Thy
ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.
14. Deliver me from blood guilt, O God,
thou God of my salvation; and my tongue
shall sing aloud of Thy justice.
15. O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my
mouth shall proclaim Thy praise.
16. For Thou desires not sacrifice else
would I give it; Thou delights not in burnt offerings.
17. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite
spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
18. Be bountiful, O Lord, to Sion in Thy
kindness; by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
19. Then shalt Thou be pleased with
sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offerings and holocausts; then shall
they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.
Blessing of A Crib
(back to top)
There are many beautiful customs that have become
essential
in the celebration
of the Christmas Season.
Arranging a
family crib set under the Christmas tree, on the mantle or
on a table is one of them.
This custom was started more than 700 years ago by Saint Francis of Assisi, who had such great
devotion to the Prince of Peace.
Since he arranged the first crib in Italy in 1223, preparing a crib at Christmas
has become popular throughout the world.
There is a blessing that may be given to the Christmas
crib in your own home. These prayers
are inspiring to say the least.
Blessing of the crib:
Father:
Our help is in the name
of the Lord.
All: Who made
heaven and earth.
All say the Antiphon:
O great mystery and wonderful sign, dumb beasts saw the new born Lord lying in a crib.
Canticle of the Blessed
Virgin Mary
(Luke 1, 46-55)
All say the
Canticle:
•
My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit doth rejoice in God my
Saviour.
• For
He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaid; lo, henceforth all generations
shall call me blessed.
• For
He that is mighty hath done great things for me, and holy is His name.
• And
His mercy is from generation to generation to them that fear Him.
• He
hath shown strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of
their hearts.
• He
hath put down the mighty from their seats, and hath exalted the lowly.
•
The hungry He hath filled with good things; the
rich He hath sent away empty.
• He
hath helped Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy.
•
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
• As
it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.
The Antiphon is repeated by all:
O great mystery and wonderful sign, dumb beasts saw the new born Lord lying in a crib.
A member of the family reads from:
the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke (2:15-20)
And it came to pass, when the angels had departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds were
saying to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste, and they found
Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they understood
what had been told them concerning the child.
And all who heard marvelled at the things told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept in mind all these words,
pondering them in her heart. And the
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and
seen, even as it was spoken to them.
Father: Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
All:
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia.
Father: And dwelt
among us. Alleluia.
All:
O Lord hear my
prayer.
Father: And let my
cry come unto Thee.
All:
The Lord be with
you.
Father: And with
your spirit.
Let us pray. Bless we beseech Thee, Almighty God, this crib that we have
prepared in honor of the new birth in the flesh of Thine only begotten Son, that
all who devoutly contemplate in this image the mystery of His Incarnation may be
filled with the light of His Glory. Who
with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, World
without end. Amen.
Christmas Eve Program
For The Home
(back to top)
Parents and children gather around the Christmas tree
at the appointed time. The Father, as
head of the family, will light the Christmas lights and the candles at the Crib.
Then all sing the following two verses of “Silent Night”
(all stand):
Silent Night! Holy Night!
All is calm, all is bright!
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child, Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ, the Savior, is born,
Christ, the Savior, is born.
All sit while the Mother reads the following:
From the Roman Martyrology:
In the forty-second year of the Empire of Octavianus Augustus, while all the
earth was at peace; in the Sixth Age of the world, Jesus Christ Eternal God, and
Son of the Eternal Father, willing to consecrate the world by His Gracious
Advent, being conceived by the Holy Ghost, and the nine months of His conception
being now accomplished in Bethlehem of Juda, is born of the Virgin Mary, made
Man. The birthday, according to the
flesh, of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now sing the third verse of “Silent Night”:
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Son of God loves pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace;
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
The Father reads the beautiful portion from the Holy Gospel (all stand)
From the Gospel of Saint Luke:
And it came to pass,
when the angels had departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds were
saying to one another. “Let us go
over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has
made known to us.” So they went with
haste, and they found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they
understood what had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard marvelled at the
things told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept in mind all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, even as it was
spoken to them.
After the
Gospel all recite slowly and with reverence the Apostles’ Creed:
“I believe in God the
Father Almighty....”
Now the
Mother prays as follows:
Prayer from the Missal:
O God, who dost gladden
us with the yearly expectation of our redemption, grant that we, who now
joyfully receive Thine only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may also, without
fear, behold Him coming as our judge, our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son: Who liveth
and reigneth for ever and ever. All: Amen.
In conclusion the family sings “Adeste Fideles”
(all stand)
O come all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come, ye, O come, ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him
Born, the King of Angels.
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
At the end of this hymn let the children wish their parents a Blessed Christmas with the assurance that, in
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, they will thank God for all the gifts and love
that they received from their parents.
Then let all spend some time together in the simplicity and joy of their
hearts.
The Gospel Story of the Birth of Christ
The Annunciation
(Luke 26-38)
(back to top)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God
to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named
Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her,
“Rejoice so highly favored!
The Lord is with you.”
She was deeply disturbed by these words
and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her,
“Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favor. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a
son, and you must name him Jesus. He will
be great and will be called Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule
over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.” Mary said to the
angel, “But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?” “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,” the angel answered, “and the power of the Most High will
cover you with its shadow. And so the
child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman
Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people
called barren is now in her sixth month,
for nothing is impossible for God.”
I am the handmaid of the Lord,” said Mary, “let what
you have said be done to me.” And the
angel left her.
Christ’s Birth
Foretold To Saint Joseph
(Matt. 1, 18-24)
This is how Jesus Christ
came to be born. His mother Mary was
betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be
with child through the Holy Spirit.
Her husband Joseph, being a man of honor and wanting to spare her publicity,
decided to divorce her informally.
He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in
a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be
afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived by the Holy
Spirit. She will give birth to a son
and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people
from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill
the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel, a name that means
“God-is-with-us.” When Joseph
woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife
to his home.
The Birth of Jesus
(Luke 2, 1-14)
Now at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a
census of the whole world to be taken.
This census, the first, took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and
everyone went to his own town to be registered.
So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and traveled to
Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem since he was of David’s House and
line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with
child. While they were there the time
came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and
laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were
shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and
the glory of the Lord shone around them.
They were terrified, but the angel said,
“Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you
news of great joy, a joy to be shared by all people. Today in the town of Bethlehem a savior
has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly with the angel there was a great number of heavenly host,
praising God and singing:
“Glory to God in the highest;
and on
earth peace to men of good will.”
The Adoration of
The Shepherds
(Luke 2, 15-20)
Now when the angels had gone up to heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened that the
Lord has told us about.” So they hurried
to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby Jesus lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what
they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what
the shepherds had to say. As for Mary,
she treasured all of these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back to the
countryside glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was
exactly as they had been told by the angel.
The Coming
of the Wisemen
(Matt. 2, 1-12)
After Jesus was born at
Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to
Jerusalem from the east. “Where is
the infant king of the Jews?” They
asked. “We saw his star as it rose
and have come to honor him.” When
King Herod heard this he was greatly troubled, and so was the whole of
Jerusalem. He called together all
the chief priests and scribes of the people, and asked them where the Christ was
to be born. “At Bethlehem in
Judaea,” they told him, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means
least
among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who
will shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked
them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to
Bethlehem. “Go and find out all
about the child,” he said, “and when you have found him, let me know, so that I
too may go and honor him.” Having
listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the
star they had seen rising; it went forward and stopped over the place where the
child was. The sight of the star
filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the baby with his
mother Mary, and falling to their knees they honored him. Then, opening their treasures, they
offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not
to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
Christmas Caroles
(back to top)
AWAY IN THE MANAGER
Away in the manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head;
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, |
The little Lord Jesus a sleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby
awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask
thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years, Are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary, And
gathered all above,
While mortals sleep the angels keep, their watch
of wond’ring love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to all on earth.
SILENT NIGHT! HOLY NIGHT!
Silent Night! Holy Night!
All is calm, all is bright!
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ, the Savior, is born,
Christ, the Savior, is born.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Son of God loves pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace;
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him, born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
Sing choirs of angels, sing
in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
Glory to God, in the highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
JOY TO THE WORLD
Joy to the world! The Lord
is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.
Joy to the earth! The Savior
reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains—
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
He rules the world! With
truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love, And wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.
OH HOLY NIGHT
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the Dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For younder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O Night Divine, O Night when Christ was born!
O Night Divine, the night our Christ was born!
Led by the light of Faith
serenely beaming!
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of stars so sweetly gleaming
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, Our weakness is no
stranger!
Behold Your King, Before Him lowly bend!
Behold Your King, Before Him lowly bend!
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON
HIGH
Angels we have heard on high; sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains.
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o!
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous songs prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be; which inspire your heavenly song?
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o!
Come to Bethlehem and see
—
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come, adore on bended knee; Jesus, Christ, the new-born King.
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o!
THE FIRST NOEL
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel; Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel; Born is the King of Israel.
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent.
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel; Born is the King of Israel.
HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heav’n
adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of the favored one.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased, as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in early exile here, until the Son of God Appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel, To Thee shall come Emmanuel.
O Come, Thou Wisdom, Son divine,
our weaken’d wills to Thee incline!
And shed Thy light o’er life’s dark way, lest lured by sin, we go astray.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel, To Thee shall come Emmanuel.
O come, Thou King of all the earth, that we may share Thy wonderous birth!
Come rule our heart and mind and will, that we Thy precepts may fulfill.
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel, To Thee shall come Emmanuel.
Christmas is Christ’s Birthday
Come Let Us Adore Him!
The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena
(back to top)
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in
Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my
prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and
of His Blessed Mother. Amen.
It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer 15 times a day from the feast of St. Andrew
(Nov. 30th) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)
Imprimatur:
Michael Augustine,
Archbishop of New York,
February 6, 1897
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