Happy Christmas to you all!
This week, until 27 December, you can purchase Prayers for All Seasons (book 1) from Kevin Mayhew Ltd at a 10 per cent discount, using the code ALLSEASONS10 when ordering the title from the company’s website. With the book normally retailing at £27.99, that’s a saving of £2.80. Just type the code into the relevant box at the online checkout between the dates given.
Here, meanwhile, is the fifth of the prayers I’ll be posting this week from the book, to run alongside this promotion.
REMEMBERING AND RELIVING
Almighty and loving God,
we come together on this day
to celebrate the birth of your Son,
the child laid in a manger,
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
We come recalling that first Christmas centuries ago;
the message proclaimed by the angels –
news of great joy!
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
We come remembering the faith of Mary,
the thanksgiving of the shepherds,
and the worship of the wise men.
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
We come reminding ourselves of your great love
shown to us and all people
through your coming and sharing our humanity,
through your living and dying amongst us.
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
Loving God,
we thank you for this time of year –
its mood of joy and celebration,
its spirit of goodwill and desire to work for peace,
the renewing of old friendships
and the coming together of families,
the lessons and carols which we know and love so well.
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
Save us, O Lord, from becoming over-familiar with this season,
from ever imagining we know all there is to know about it,
or presuming we have understood all there is to understand.
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
Teach us to listen for your voice and look for your presence,
to hear your call and respond to your guidance.
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
May we, like Mary, have the faith to believe
that with you nothing is impossible;
like the shepherds to go in heart and mind even to Bethlehem
to see what you have done;
like the wise men to offer you our worship
and present to you our gifts;
like the great company of angels
to sing glad and joyful songs of praise.
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
And so may we, when the festivities are over and Christmas is past,
return to our daily lives glorifying and praising you
for all we have seen and heard,
the wonder of your love revealed in Christ!
You have done great things for us,
and we are glad.
Praise be to you, now and for ever!
Amen.