A Christmas Prayer

MAY THEY GIVE YOU GLORY FOR US O LORD

Praise to you now and evermore

May they give you glory for us, O Lord--

the Virgin Mary whose child you were,

and the carpenter Joseph who made you his own.

Praise to you now and evermore!

May they give you glory for us, O Lord--

the angels who, singing, praised your birth,

and the manger wherein, as a child, you lay.

Praise to you how and evermore!

May they give you glory for us, O Lord--

the Shepherds who came to worship you,

and your mother herself, who marvelled at you.

Praise to you now and evermore!

May they give you glory for us, O Lord

the Bethlehem infants who died for you,

and the martyrdom of the hearts of their mothers.

Praise to you now and evermore!

May they give you glory for us, O Lord--

the Wise Men who journeyed from far in the East,

and their brilliant star aloft in your sky.

Praise to you now and evermore!

May they give you glory for us, O Lord--

old Simeon holding you clasped in his arms,

and Anna the prophetess,

whose age your coming did bless with joy.

Praise to you now and evermore!

At this time of your holy birth,

O Jesus Lord, we pray to you:

Let all our lives bring glory to you, and because your birth was here on earth,

give us someday our own birth in heaven

for one eternal Christmas.

----from COME LORD JESUS

BY LlUCIEN DEISS