A Prayer for Christmas Eve

St. Kateri Tekakwitha was a Mohawk woman who converted to Catholicism at age 19. She loved Jesus Christ with great devotion, and she fervently prayed for the conversion of her fellow Mohawks. St. Kateri died of an illness at age 24, and she was canonized in 2012, making her the first Native American to be recognized as a saint. A Prayer for St. Kateri: O Great Lily of the Mohawks, we ask that you take our intentions to the foot of the cross. Ask Jesus to bring healing to those who are heavily burdened. Through your intercession, may this favor be granted if it is according to the will of God. By your prayer, help us always to remain faithful to Jesus and to his Holy Church. St. Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us. Amen. Used with permission from Franciscan Media (www.FranciscanMedia.org)

The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a synthesis of various litanies dating back to the 17th century. The current litany was approved for public use by Pope Leo XIII in 1899, and it includes 33 invocations: one for each year of the life of Christ. Find the full text at: https://www.usccb.org/prayers/litany-sacred-heart-jesus

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, often called "the Little Flower," promised to spend her time in heaven doing good on earth. Though she lived a hidden life, after her death the 24-year-old French Carmelite became a Doctor of the Church and a beloved friend and intercessor for countless Catholics. It is often said that she sends down "showers of roses" to those who ask for her intercession. Join us in prayer: O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love. O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God to grant the favors I now place with confidence in your hands . . (mention in silence here) St. Therese, help me to always believe as you did in God’s great love for me, so that I might imitate your “Little Way” each day. Amen.

Ask St. Christopher, patron of traveling, for his intercession before your next journey! Dear Saint Christopher, protect me today in all my travels along the road’s way. Give your warning sign if danger is near so that I may stop while the path is clear. Be at my window and direct me through when the vision blurs From out of the blue. Carry me safely to my destined place, like you carried Christ in your close embrace. Amen.

Listen to the Salve Regina, sung by Bishop Robert Reed. The Salve Regina is a Marian antiphon composed during the Middle Ages, and it is often prayed at the end of the rosary and during some hours of the Divine Office depending on liturgical season. The Hail, Holy Queen is the English translation of this Latin antiphon. Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae; vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria. English: Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray the Hail, Holy Queen prayer, which is the English translation of the Latin Salve Regina. The Hail, Holy Queen is typically prayed at the end of a Rosary. Hail, Holy Queen: Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, Who by the working of the Holy Spirit didst prepare both body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother, Mary, that she might deserve to be made a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, grant that we who rejoice in her memory, may, by her loving intercession, be delivered from present evils and from lasting death, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Litany of Loreto, also called the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, originated in the Middle Ages. The prayer was approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587, and it is currently the only approved Marian Litany. The Pope has the exclusive ability to add invocations to the Litany, which many have done throughout history. "Loreto" refers to the Holy House of Loreto in Italy, which is believed to be the house where the Blessed Virgin was born and raised. Tradition holds that the house was brought from the Holy Land to Italy in the 13th century. Read more about the Holy House of Loreto here: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/40109/did-angels-really-carry-the-holy-house-of-mary-to-loreto-italy

In his message for the 43rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged all the faithful to pray this prayer. It invokes God to raise up and sustain vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life: O Father, raise up among Christians abundant and holy vocations to the priesthood, who keep the faith alive and guard the blessed memory of your Son Jesus through the preaching of his word and the administration of the Sacraments, with which you continually renew your faithful. Grant us holy ministers of your altar, who are careful and fervent guardians of the Eucharist, the sacrament of the supreme gift of Christ for the redemption of the world. Call ministers of your mercy, who, through the sacrament of Reconciliation, spread the joy of your forgiveness. Grant, O Father, that the Church may welcome with joy the numerous inspirations of the Spirit of your Son and, docile to His teachings, may she care for vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life. Sustain the Bishops, priests and deacons, consecrated men and women, and all the baptized in Christ, so that they may faithfully fulfill their mission at the service of the Gospel. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. Mary, Queen of Apostles, pray for us.

Listen to and meditate on this Easter Sunday homily written by St. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father and Doctor of the Church. "Chrysostom" comes from the Greek word meaning "golden-mouthed," and refers to St. John's incredible gift of preaching and public speaking.

The Exsultet, also known as The Proclamation of Easter, is a poetic hymn sung at the beginning of the Easter Vigil to bless the Paschal candle. The Exsultet’s beautiful words express the joy of Christ’s victory over death and recount God’s faithfulness through the ages. Prayerfully listen to the Exsultet sung by Fr. Jonathan Gaspar. Full text of the Exsultet: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/easter/easter-proclamation-exsultet