A Christmas Time Prayer For Country Living

Lord Jesus Christ, as I gaze at the stars in the winter's night sky, I find myself drawn near to You and to Bethlehem, Your birthplace. It was in the darkness of night that You entered our world, under the very stars that illuminate this evening. It was here that Mary first embraced You, and by the gentle glow of those same stars, the shepherds were guided to the stable to find You, just as the angels had proclaimed, lying in a manger. Dear Lord, it is particularly during the Christmas season that I perceive Your closeness to those who till the soil. The reminders of Your presence surround us: the stars and moon at night, and the sun during the day, all celestial bodies that witnessed Your birth—the same moon shining over Bethlehem and the sun that graced Your early days. The stable where You were born, alongside the animals that provided their warmth and comfort to You, their Creator. The shepherds who sought You, humble men of honesty and sincerity, came to worship You. O Jesus, Son of the eternal God, how wondrous it is that You became one of us this Christmas! You are our God and yet also our Brother. Though You are our King, You arrived as a vulnerable infant, yearning for our love. Help us recognize You in everyone we meet, today and always. Let us remember Your teaching that whatever we do for the least among us, we do for You. May we serve You with the generosity and selflessness fitting of this season, becoming true Christians and reflections of You, other Christs.