Christmas Eve Prayer

Give us, O God, the vision which can see Your love in the world in spite of human failure. />Give us the faith to trust Your goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness.
Give us the
knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts.
And show us what each one of
us can do to set forward the coming of the day of universal peace.

"May the forgiving spirit
of Him to whom we dedicate this season prevail again on earth.
May hunger disappear and
terrorists cease their senseless acts.
May people live in freedom, worshiping as they see fit,
loving others.
May the sanctity of the home be ever preserved.
May peace, everlasting
peace, reign supreme."

Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, 
that we
may share in the song of the angels, 
the gladness of the shepherds, 
and
worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the
world. 
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.  />Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear
hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas
evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, 
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus'
sake. Amen.