BIDDING PRAYERS
PRIEST
Gathered together in Christ as his family to celebrate his birth, who is the Saviour of the world, let us pray to God our Father who has sent us such a precious gift, for the needs of our Church and our world.
READER
Let us pray for the Church: may Christians everywhere this night be so filled with the love of God that the offering they bring to the Babe of Bethlehem may be the gift of their lives: (pause) … Lord hear us.
We pray for our nation and its rulers: by the deliberations and the actions of all, may the kingdom of love, justice and peace, for which Jesus the Saviour was born, be made real: (pause) … Lord hear us.
For those who will celebrate this Christmas alone and for those who are homeless: may the realisation of God’s love made manifest this night, bring them comfort, consolation, and renewed strength: (pause) … Lord hear us.
Let us pray for everyone in our community: may we be so open to God’s Son that our lives, full of joy and happiness, may shine as a sign of hope and light to a darkened world: (pause) … Lord hear us.
We pray with Mary, Mother of the Saviour, as we say together: Hail Mary
In the silence of our hearts, we make our prayer to the newly-born Son of God
PRIEST
God our Father, as we celebrate Christmas, may the sense of awe and wonder experienced by the shepherds be ours tonight and may it remain with us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Christmas – Vigil Mass