Zechariah's canticle makes a great prayer for Christmas Eve. The following can be used in private prayer or with family members, parish staff, or other community gatherings. It's great around the fully lit Advent wreath. A leader should read the scripture lines, then the rest of the people should take turns reading the response (R) and filling in the blanks. (To print and copy this, use the copyright permissions linked directly beneath the prayer.)
Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel
because he has visited and ransomed his people.
(R) He has visited me [us] in _________ [name a recent joyful or difficult situation]
and I am [we are] grateful that he has given us freedom and victory.
He has raised a horn of saving strength for us
in the house of David his servant.
(R) He has revealed his power to us, and our household [parish] will serve him;
I [we] dedicate this family to the Christ child and ask him to bless us with unity and ________.
As he promised through the mouths of his holy ones, the prophets of ancient times:
Salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all our foes.
(R) He has shown his loving power in my [our] difficulties,
and I [we] thank him, with grateful hearts, especially for _______.
He has dealt mercifully with our fathers and remembered the holy covenant he made,
The oath he swore to Abraham our father he would grant us:
that, rid of fear and delivered from the enemy,
We should serve him devoutly, and through all our days, be holy in his sight.
(R) He has shown his love for the world by becoming one of us,
born on that first Christmas in the humility of a child
to bring us the Good News of holy living,
and to die for us, delivering us from the power of our sins,
and delivering us from _______.
Rid of fear and delivered from the enemy,
We can serve him devoutly, and be holy in his sight.
(R) In him, we having nothing to fear;
in him, we will live forever in heaven, in peace, in joy, and in love;
and I [we] choose to serve him here on earth, in imitation of the humble Christ child,
especially in the service/ministry of _______.
And you, O child, shall be called prophet of the Most High;
For you shall go before the Lord to prepare straight paths for him,
Giving his people a knowledge of salvation in freedom from their sins.
(R: all together) O Lord, make me your prophet, too.
I dedicate my life to you - my days and my hours,
to prepare the way before you
in the hearts of those I serve
in my home, in my parish, in my community, and in the world around me.
All this is the work of the kindness of our God;
he, the Dayspring, shall visit us in his mercy
To shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
(R: take a minute of silence to offer to God those you know who are in darkness, who are facing death, and who are living in turmoil, division, or war.)
All this is the work of the kindness of our God;
he, the Dayspring, shall visit us in his mercy
To shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
(R: all together) Yes Lord! Let it be as you say! Amen!
