I have chosen the Opening Prayer from midnight Mass. It reads as follows:
Let us pray
(for the peace of Christmas midnight
that our joy in the birth of Christ will last for ever)
Father,
You make this holy night radiant
with the splendour of Jesus Christ our light,
We welcome Him as Lord, the true light of the world.
Bring us to eternal joy in the kindom of Heaven
where He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit.
To make this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged.
- What does the birth of Christ mean to me?
- What is so special to me about the holy night of Christmas?
- In what areas of my life is Christ the true light of the world- how can I continue to shine that light in my life?
- In what areas of my life is Christ not wholy the true light of the world? What changes will I make to these areas in this Christmas season?
- How can I assist someone who has lost a loved one during the year in this Christmas season?
Instead of writing a gospel reflection on one of the Gospels, I recommend during this Christmas season that we sit and slowly read the Christmas story given in Luke. Take your time and hear the sounds, smell the smells, get in touch with the feelings of all the Christmas characters- Mary, Joseph, the baby, the angels announcing the news, the shepherds, Herod, the kings. There is so much to contemplate. Let us make good use of our prayer time during this Christmas season and come to a greater understanding of God's great love for us. Perhaps you may even choose to contemplate before the crib at your parish each day during this season, or if not, why not lovingly reflect on the story at home with your family's crib.
When you hear others saying that Christmas is about family or holidays or any other secular reason, why not tell them gently
JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.
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