General Intercessions
Celebrant: In Christmas joy and hope, let
us present all our needs to God with confidence.
Deacon/Lector:
For the Holy Church of God throughout the world,
that as she celebrates the birth of Christ, she may grow in holiness, we pray to
the Lord…
For all those who do not yet believe in Christ,
that they may know that today a Savior is born for them, we pray to the Lord…
For peace in the world, that nations may resolve
their conflicts by giving themselves over the Christ, the Prince of Peace, we
pray to the Lord…
For those who are alone or abandoned, for the
oppressed and the hungry, the homeless, and the unborn, we pray to the Lord…
For all the sick of our families and our parish,
that they may join their sufferings to the sufferings of Christ, we pray to the
Lord…
For all those who have died, that by the power of
Christ's birth on earth, they may be born in heaven, we pray to the Lord…
Celebrant:
Father, the birth of your Son renews our hope.
As you answer our prayers,
Give us grace always to bear witness to him
before the world,
For he is Lord forever and ever. Amen.
Homily Suggestions on Pro-life Themes
Vigil: Is 62:1-5
Acts 13:16-17, 22-25
Mt 1:1-25 or 1:18-25
Midnight: Is 9:1-6
Ti 2:11-14
Lk 2:1-14
Dawn: Is 62:11-12
Ti 3:4-7
Lk 2:15-20
Day: Is 52:7-10
Heb 1:1-6
Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14
The wonder of Christmas is that the promised
coming of the Messiah of the Lord was fulfilled in a surprising way that
surpassed the hopes and dreams of the people of old. On the first Christmas
night, angels announced Christ's birth to the shepherds. But instead of saying
that Jesus was the Messiah of the Lord, they said that He is "Messiah and Lord"
(Lk. 2:11). God, in other words, did not simply send someone to represent Him.
He came Himself!
Because the child born is Lord, Christmas means
more than welcoming the child. It means welcoming the one who will preach the
Sermon on the Mount, instruct us by parables, give us the sacraments, and
establish his Church. All of these Christmas presents are to be opened and used!
Christmas is about a God who created the human
family, and then decided to become a member of that family. Christmas is not
when Jesus began; it is when Jesus began existing as one of us, and thereby
joined all of us to Himself. He joins to His Divinity all who share human
nature: the weak and strong, the small and big, the born and unborn.
Therefore, welcoming the child demands welcoming
all whom this child came to redeem, all who are united to God in him. It means
welcoming the poor and destitute, the stranger and the alienated, the disabled
and the unborn. Christmas is universal, and is about the exaltation of the human
person.
