Christmas
Christmas, the shortest season of the liturgical year, begins on the first stroke of December 25 and ends twelve days later, at midnight on January 5, Epiphany Eve. This season celebrates the birth of Jesus — born in the company of animals and angels, shepherds and kings, the young and the old, the wise and the foolish.
The Longest and Shortest Season
In the commercial world, the
Christmas season has a long youth and a short old-age: born in
mid-autumn, weaned the day after Thanksgiving, and dead by the
close of the New Year's Eve sales.
In the church calendar, Christmas is the shortest season of the
year. It begins on the first stroke of December 25 and ends
twelve days later, at midnight on January 5, Epiphany Eve.
David and I like to give our Christmases a longer, more robust
retirement. Our tree usually stays up well into the Epiphany
season, and our holiday cards have been known to appear in
friends’ mailboxes on the very cusp of Lent.
I like the Budweiser holiday commercials. I like the big horses,
the big old fire truck, the big fir tree, the snow, the bridge,
the country road. A moment of peace and beauty. God bless them,
those commercials aren’t even trying to get me to have a beer.
I’m less fond of commercials about the perfect present, given
and received. Teasers that show a gleaming new car with a bow on
top as the perfect way to show one’s love to the spouse (and
one’s wealth to the neighbors). Tear-jerkers suggesting a string
of diamonds as the perfect expression of enduring love.
My own presents – given and received – aren’t perfect. I don’t
know anyone well enough to give them the perfect gift. I only
hope a glimmer of goodwill clings to my offerings, adds a little
extra shine, wins them a kind reception.
And when I open a present, I only hope for the grace to receive
the gift in the same spirit I’d like my own received, and for
the heart to accept what it means to be singularly human. Along
with everyone else.
One year, David gave me a book of Roz Chast cartoons and an odd,
disturbing pendant he found on a Goth web site: a dragon, alive,
evil, and triumphant, coiled from top to bottom around a St.
George cross.
A gift that made me laugh. And a gift that made me
uncomfortable, then started me puzzling about the nature of
faith and fable, and the intertwining of good and evil.
Well, okay, maybe David does know me, just a scratch or two
below the surface.
Here’s wishing you joy in the New Year, and new adventures, and
many chance meetings on the road.
New Prayers of the People for Christmas
These
Prayers of the People were first used at Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day 2010 services at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in
Port Townsend, Washington. They were written by Margaret
D. McGee.
Inspiration and language for these prayers came from the
assigned readings for Christmas day, which can be found on
The Lectionary Page.
Friends, let us pray together, calling on the blessing of the
Savior Child, singing our new song of praise and joy.
We ask a blessing on the shepherds in the fields, keeping watch.
(Leader’s words in plain text.)
And on their flocks—on every lamb, ewe, and ram.
(People’s responses in bold italic.)
A blessing on those who gather together in your Name, and on those who wander
far.
Let the fields be joyful, and all that is in them.
A blessing on anyone who suffers in body, mind, or spirit, throughout the
season of Holy Birth.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it.
A blessing on this gathering, and on all whom we love—those in life and those in
loving memory.
(pause)
The grace of God has appeared among us.
The Spirit has been poured out on us richly.
A blessing on the nations—their leaders, and their people.
May the light of peace and good will shine in every assembly.
A blessing on the whole world.
Let the earth rejoice!
On every rock and every clump of soil.
Shout with joy, all you lands!
On the cities and the plains.
Let the trees of the wood shout for joy!
On every river, mountain, and sea.
Let the oceans thunder and the whales leap up!
O Holy One—God of Hosts,
O Holy One—Spirit of Truth,
O Holy One—Newborn Life and Light,
To you we sing our new song of love and joy; to you alone we pray.
Amen.
Prayers of the People for Christmas
These
Prayers of the People were first used at Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day 2008 services at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in
Port Townsend, Washington. They were written by Brad Offutt.
I pulled the phrase “in this small place made glorious” from the
body of the prayer to use as a title, because for me, the phrase
exemplifies how these prayers express the wonder and power of
the Incarnation.
In This Small Place Made Glorious
God
of unimaginable love, on the first Christmas You became one of
us.
(Leader's words in plain text.)
We celebrate Your love for every person in every place and
time.
(People's responses in bold italic.)
God of all humanity, You offered Your Peace to anyone who would
be satisfied with Your presence.
We celebrate Your Peace in Your Church and accept Your
commission to share it in all the world.
God of the shepherds, You announced Your arrival among us to the
poorest, the most humble.
We celebrate Your good news to each of us and to everyone,
right here where we are.
God of the manger, You came to us through Your Son in a small
and simple place.
We celebrate Your presence with us this day in this small
place made glorious by Your being in it.
God of deliverance, You came to be one of us in order to deliver
all of us.
We celebrate Your protection and mercy toward all who are
sick or in trouble.
God of birth, when You became as we are, You opened Yourself to
each of us, no matter who or what we are.
We celebrate this day Your Kingdom and that we are welcome
in it right now and always. Keep us close, now and in the life
to come.
God of Christmas, bless us as we once again celebrate Your
coming into Your creation.
Amen.
Litany for Christmas
This Litany for Christmas grew out of the Prayers of the People that were part of the 2004 Christmas Eve services at
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
in Port Townsend, Washington.
To me, the prayer is a great gathering: a remembering and
commending to God of all people on the day of Christ’s
birth. More about
responsive prayer.
In joy and thanksgiving at
Christ's birth,
(Leader's words in plain text.)
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
(People's responses in bold italic.)
We pray for all faithful people,
For all welcome
messengers of good news,
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
For the nations and their rulers,
For the corporations and their executives,
For anyone with power over the lives of others,
Let us sing to the Lord a new
song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
For those who defend the helpless,
For those who strive for justice,
For those who work to find a
way to peace,
For all the world, and all who live in it,
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
For anyone suffering, sick, alone, afraid, or in any kind of
trouble. We pray especially for … [name those you want to
remember today].
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
For our own community, for friends, neighbors, and family, near
and far. We pray especially for … [name those you want to
remember today].
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
For those who have died. We pray especially for … [name those
you want to remember today] .
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
We offer thanksgiving for Mary's firstborn Son - good news of
great joy.
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
On earth peace, good will among people.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. Before the eyes of all
the nations you sent your Son, the exact imprint of love itself,
to be our salvation. With the shepherds in the fields, let us go
now to Bethlehem, there to find Christ in our hearts, and in the
world. Amen.
Scriptural references
The call, “Let us sing to the Lord a new song,” comes from Psalm 96.
The refrain, “On earth peace, good will among people,” as well as the reference to Mary’s firstborn son as “good news of great joy” are from Luke 2.
The words “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” as well as other language in the closing prayer are from the first chapter of Hebrews.
The idea for the phrase “welcome messengers of good news,” as well as some language in the closing prayer, come from Isaiah 52.