D E C E M B E R
A Prayer in Advent
DEAR God, all over the world now, the children of Holy Mother Church are singing: "Send down dew from above, you heavens, and let the skies pour down upon us the rain we long for, Him, the Just One. May He, the Savior, spring from the closed womb of the earth!" We know, Lord, and we have seen, what drought does to the land. We know, too, and have seen, the ravages of frost and cold. We have walked in barren fields and up dry hills, through dead, silent woods and lifeless valleys, and along thirsty beds of once flowing streams. We have seen, clearly enacted for us upon the land, what our life would be without You. We can understand, now, how we should long for Your coming. Come, dear Lord and Savior, and do not delay! Rise up in Your power and come! Let the rain of Your grace water the parched soil of our souls. Let the warmth of Your love thaw the coldness of our indifference. Let the life of Your Body and Blood vitalize our deadened energies, and stir us up to fruitful labor in Your vineyard.
O Eternal Father, rouse our hearts out of the sleep of sin, so that we may clear the path of Your Son into our souls. Each year in Advent, You gladden us with the thought of our redemption. Grant us, we pray You, that, as we receive Your Son as our Redeemer now, we may, in the future, gladly and confidently meet Him as our Judge. Amen.
A Prayer in Winter
DEAR Lord, the summer is over and gone, and the harvest is once more past. All the wealth and warmth of the summer sun is marvelously packaged now, in seed and fruit and vegetable, and stored away in bins and cribs and basements.
Thank You, dear, generous God, for all Your goodness and for all Your gifts. All summer long You are working for us, storing heat and health and nourishment in the fields and woods. Now, when the air is cold, and there is no fruitfulness in the earth, we can live on what the summer and the harvest have stored up for us.
Thank You for Your unnumbered kindnesses to us, dear God. Help us to make good use of the riches of the earth. Help us to be generous, even as You are, and al ways avoid selfishness and greed.
Help us, too, to store up spiritual wealth in the summer of this life, while we can yet work. Otherwise life's autumn will come, death will call us, a spiritual winter will set in and we shall be found poor and unsheltered not for one season only, but for the winters of eternity.
Lord, we trust in You, that, cooperating with Your many graces, we may make good use now of our rich opportunities. And may we then reap a rich spiritual harvest which we will enjoy with You and Your saints in the eternal spring and summer of heaven. Amen.
A Prayer at Christmas Time for Country Living
LORD Jesus Christ, when, on a winter's night I look up through the clear air at the stars, I can be very close to You and to Your native Bethlehem. It was at night that You first came to this earth. It was under the same stars that now gleam in this night sky that Mary first held You in her arms. It was by the faint light of these stars still shining tonight that the shepherds found their way to the stable, and discovered You, as the angels had said they would, lying in a manger.
Dear Christ, it is especially at Christmas time that I see and understand how close You are to those who live on the land. We have so many reminders of You! The stars and moon at night and the sun by day--the same stars under which You were born; the same moon that shone that night on Bethlehem; the same sun that brightened Your first days on earth. The stable, and the farm animals that shared their quarters and their warmth with You, their creator. The sheep and the shepherds that came to adore You--rough men, but good, truthful, honest, and sincere.
O Jesus, Son of the everlasting God, You are so wonderfully made one of us at Christmas time! You are our God, but You are our Brother, too. You are our King, but You come as a helpless little baby, longing for our love. Help us today and always to see You in all those with whom we come in contact. Let us never forget Your own instruction, that whatever we do for the least of those around us, we do for You.
Help us always to serve You in the generous, selfless spirit of this season, and we shall then be real Christians -- more and more like You -- other Christs. Amen.
Hymn of Thanksgiving (Te Deum)
We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.
All the earth worships You, the Father everlasting.
To You all the angels, to You the heavens, and all the powers,
To You the cherubim and seraphim cry out Without ceasing;
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts!
The heavens and the earth are full of the majesty of Your glory.
The glorious choir of the apostles praises You.
The admirable company of the prophets praises You.
The white-robed army of martyrs praises You.
Holy Church through the world acknowledges You,
The Father of incomprehensible majesty,
Your adorable, true, and only Son,
And the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
You, O Christ, are the King of glories.
You are the everlasting Son of the Father.
You, in order to save men, did not shun the Virgin's womb.
You have overcome the sting of death, and opened to believers the kingdom of heaven.
You are sitting at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
You, we believe, are the Judge to come.
We beg of You, therefore, to help Your servants,
whom you have re deemed with Your precious Blood.
Let them be numbered with Your saints in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save Your people, and bless those who are Your heirs.
And govern them and exalt them forever. Each day we bless You.
And we praise Your name in eternity, forever and ever.
Be so kind, O Lord, as to keep us without sin this day.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we have trusted in You.
In You, O Lord, I have trusted, let me not be put to shame forever.
V. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, with the Holy Spirit.
R. Let us praise and exalt Him forever.
O God, Your mercies are without number, and the treasure of Your goodness is infinite. We give thanks to Your most gracious majesty for the gifts You have given us. We continue to ask of Your mercy that, as You grant the petitions of those that ask You, You may never forsake them, but prepare them for the rewards to come through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.