Christmas is perhaps the most eagerly awaited season of the year. People are rushing about and preparing gifts for all their loved ones. Christmas decorations are put here and there. Families are busy preparing festive meals. The Christmas spirit is truly felt in every home.
But most importantly, Christmas is about the unfathomable love of God for us. He has sent His Only Begotten Son, our Lord, and Redeemer Jesus Christ, to become like us in all things except sin. God, with all His splendor and power, has become a little helpless baby. Such a profound mystery of faith indeed!
On this Christmas eve, let us spend some time meditating on this wonderful mystery of our faith. Let us whisper our prayers of joy and thanksgiving to God, who has given us the greatest gift we could ever have. May our hearts be filled with gratitude to God, who granted us the gifts of the Redeemer and His salvation.
A Catholic Christmas Eve Prayer
Loving and faithful God, to You, I offer my praise, worship, and adoration. You are the giver of all good things. In You is life everlasting. Your faithfulness and love abide with us until the end of time.
Your love and concern for all of us have been truly manifested in the Incarnate Word, our Lord Jesus Christ. After the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, You promised a Messiah who would reunite us with You. You so loved the world that You never forgot Your promise, and in the fullness of time, You have fulfilled Your word.
Heavenly Father, tonight we await the day of the birth of Your Son and our Savior, Christ the Lord. Fill our hearts with joy as we look back to Your kindness and generosity. May we be forever grateful for the redemption You have given us in the person of Jesus Christ.
Lord God, may we not forget what You have done for all of us. Let our minds and hearts always remember You. May we keep our hopes high and faith in You unwavering. You have sent us Your very own Son. As such, we are confident that You can grant us whatever we desire according to Your will.
Lord, we pray for our families. May we love each other. May we listen more and speak less. Make our family a welcoming one, especially to those who are in desperate need.
We pray for those who are alone this night. Please be with them. May they be comforted by the joy You alone can bring to them. Please send them people who can share tonight’s joy with them.
We also remember those who cannot go home to their families tonight because of their duties and responsibilities. Please bless them abundantly. Keep them safe as they continue to fulfill their tasks while we are safe in our homes.
We also pray for those who have gone ahead of us and are not with us in person to celebrate this night. May they be welcomed into Your kingdom where the Savior, the reason for this season, sits at Your right hand. Please grant them the redemption that Christ has won for them.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Short prayer for Christmas eve
God our Father, You love us with an everlasting love. Tonight, we eagerly await the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Fill us with the joy of Christmas. May we be blessed with faith and hope. May we always bring the spirit of this season to our brothers and sisters. May Christ find a worthy dwelling in our hearts. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Word of God
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:16-19 NRSVUE
Christmas eve prayer to the Holy Family of Nazareth
O Holy Family of Nazareth, we come to you seeking your blessings as we gather in joyful waiting this Christmas eve. We see the beauty of true love in you, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. You have our complete love and trust. We are confident that our prayers will not be said in vain and that you, Most Blessed Family, will surely listen to our humble pleas.
Holy Family of Nazareth, please help us to make our homes into places of prayer and fellowship. May our homes become genuine schools of the Gospel of Christ. May families never again face violence, rejection, or division. May all who have been harmed or hurt find prompt solace and healing. Help us to remember the value of the family in God’s plan and its sacredness and inviolability.
Saint Joseph, please intercede for our father. Obtain for him the courage, understanding, and prudence he needs to lead and support the people under his care.
O Blessed Virgin Mary, please intercede for our mother. Inspire and encourage her to have virtue and kindness, compassion, and generosity. May she become more and more a resemblance of you and your motherhood.
Child Jesus, please bless the children in our family. Ensure their health and happiness. Never stop molding them into more of You. May they grow in grace and knowledge before God and men as You did.
Grant us hearts that are always open to God. Stay with us, our great Immanuel, our God who is always with us. Remain in our hearts and in our families. Make our families like your Holy Family. Bind us always in love.
Make our family a part of yours, O Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Please make us living instruments of peace. May we be surrounded by love and fortified by grace. May we triumph over all flaws and difficulties that sometimes plague our families. Until we are all a single family, content and at peace in our actual home with you, may God always be at the center of our hearts and homes. Amen.
Further reflection
Christmas is our annual celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Moreover, Christmas is an opportune time to be gathered with our families and friends to celebrate the coming of the Messiah into the world. Christmas is God’s gift for all of us, and we must share this beautiful gift.
It is fitting to thank the Lord as we ardently await Christmas. As we gather on Christmas eve, may our families render our sincere gratitude to God for the redemption He has won for us through the Holy Infant Jesus. May our hearts be filled with wonder as we remember this gift of salvation for all of us.
As we joyfully remember the first coming of Jesus Christ, may we also anticipate His second coming. As such, may we live holy and worthy lives as Christians. May we never forget the reason why we celebrate Christmas. May we bring the joy of Christmas to all our brethren.
