A Liturgy To Mark The Start Of The Christmas Season - Prayers for Finding the Holy in Advent Season

“AND THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM, ‘FEAR NOT, FOR BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY THAT WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE. FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD. AND THIS WILL BE A SIGN FOR YOU: YOU WILL FIND A BABY WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHS AND LYING IN A MANGER.’”
Luke 2:10-12

“AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, AND WE HAVE SEEN THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY SON FROM THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.”
John 1:14

LEADER: As we prepare our house for the coming Christmas season,
we would also prepare our hearts for the returning Christ.

PEOPLE: You came once for your people,
O Lord, and you will come for us again.

Though there was no room at the inn to receive you upon your first arrival,
We would prepare you room here in our hearts and here in our home, Lord Christ.

As we decorate and celebrate, we do so to mark the memory of your redemptive movement into our broken world, O God.

Our glittering ornaments and Christmas trees,
Our festive carols, our sumptuous feasts—
By these small tokens we affirm
that something amazing has happened
in time and space—
that God, on a particular night, in a particular place, so many years ago, was born to us, an infant King, our Prince of Peace.

Our wreaths and ribbons and colored lights, our giving of gifts, our parties with friends—these have never been ends in themselves.

They are but small ways in which we repeat
that sounding joy first proclaimed by angels
in the skies near Bethlehem.

In view of such great tidings of love announced to us, and to all people, how can we not be moved to praise and celebration in this Christmas season?
As we decorate our tree, and as we
feast and laugh and sing together,
we are rehearsing our coming joy!
We are making ready to receive the one who has already, with open arms, received us!
We would prepare you room
here in our hearts and here in our home, Lord Christ.

Now we celebrate your first coming, Immanuel, even as we long for your return.
O Prince of Peace, our elder brother, return soon. We miss you so!

Amen.