Christmas is the celebration of Jesus, God’s greatest gift to us, coming into our lives. At this time, Jesus—the Word of God—tells us again that he is the God we are in search of and that he has come into our midst.

Christmas is also a season of gift giving, a tradition that originally centered on the Feast of the Epiphany, commemorating the visit of the Magi and the revelation of the Lord to the whole world.

See Liturgical Calendar–Seasons–Christmas for additional background information and prayer.


"Jesus for All Nations" – Prayer Celebration Notes

Focus		Recognizing Jesus comes to people of all nations
Materials		Prayer table with Bible and candle, music, "Merry Christmas" list of different languages (Click here for a printable version of this list.)
Reading		Matthew 2:1-12; Psalm 98:1-6
Music		"Sing a New Song," Dan Schutte (New Dawn Music); "All the Ends of the Earth," David Haas, Marty Haugen (GIA Publications); "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," (VENI, VENI EMMANUEL, LM); "Come Emmanuel," "Glory to God," Blest Are We CD 7-8; "I Rejoiced," [Instrumental], "Gathered as One," Blest Are We – Parish Program, CD 6
Preparation		In advance, print out the language list so there is a nation for each participant. If participants represent languages that are not included, add them to the list. You may choose to enlarge the greetings when you photo copy them. Cut out greetings in strips for creating a peace chain during liturgy. Print out and photocopy the liturgy, "Jesus for All Nations." Select a leader and readers.
Adaptation		In place of a peace chain, participants could glue greetings onto individual ornament shapes such as doves or balls. Then, during the liturgy, they could hang their greetings on limbs of bare branches in a container on the prayer table.
Additional Materials		For a full year of liturgies, from which this one was adapted, see Prayer Celebrations, Middle School Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725). ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-30570-1 Blest Are We CD, Level/Grade 7-8 Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725). ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36394-9 Blest Are We Song Book for Grades 1-8, School Edition Words and melody for students; contains music for grades 1-6 (school) and 7-8 (parish and school) Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725). ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36617-4 Blest Are We Accompaniment Book for Grades 1-8, School Edition Contains accompaniment music for grades 1-6 (school) and 7-8 (parish and school) Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725). ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36618-2