DAY 286
Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic
A series of daily reflections for people of faith
by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor
Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland
pastorrobert@paxpres.org
Week Forty-one Friday 25 December 2020
CHRISTMAS DAY
A Fourth Century Christmas Prayer
The radiance of the Father’s splendor, the Father’s visible image,
Jesus Christ our God, peerless among counselors, Prince of Peace,
Father of the world to come, the model after which Adam was formed,
for our sakes became like a slave: in the womb of Mary the virgin,
without assistance from any man, he took flesh.
Enable us, Lord, to reach the end of this luminous feast in peace,
forsaking all idle words, acting virtuously, shunning our passions,
and raising ourselves above the things of this world.
Bless your church, which you brought into being long ago
and attached to yourself through your life-giving blood.
Help all pastors, heads of churches, and theologians.
Bless your servants, whose trust is all in you;
bless all Christian souls,
the sick, those tormented by evil spirits,
and those who have asked us to pray for them.
Show yourself as merciful as you are rich in grace; save and preserve us;
enable us to obtain those good things to come which will never know an end.
May we celebrate your glorious birth, and the Father who sent you to redeem us,
and your Holy Spirit, the Giver of life, now and for ever, age after age. Amen.
From the late third or early fourth century Syriac Christmas liturgy.
Reflective question: Which petition in this ancient Christmas prayer speaks most to you? Why?
Reflective Scripture: Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son and shall call him Immanuel.”
Reflective hymn:
“Savior of the Nations, Come” – Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Savior of the nations, come;
Virgin’s son, here make thy home!
marvel now, O heaven and earth,
that the Lord chose such a birth.
No comments:
Post a Comment