Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

¹In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

⁸In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
¹⁴  “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
          and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

• Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
• Sit in silence five to fifteen minutes inviting the light of the candle to guide you.
• Treasure these words:
• Do not be afraid.
• I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.
• To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
• This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.
• Glory to God in the highest heaven,
  and on earth peace among those whom he favors!
• Like Mary, ponder these words in your heart.
• Jesus is born this day for you.
• What is God’s invitation for you?
• Give thanks to God for this time of new life and for any new insights you have received.
• Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, December 24, 2023, Christmas Eve (Year C)

Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96:1-13
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2023 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction training, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

Titus 2:11-14

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, ¹²training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. ¹⁴He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

• Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
• Sit in silence five to fifteen minutes embracing the great light that shines before you.
• As the birth of Jesus draws near, notice what arises in you.
• Is there excitement?  Is there anxiety?  Perhaps both?
• Hold all of these feelings before you as you consider who God chose to be born into the world in this way.
• God chose to come into the world to free us from the things that don’t last: impiety and worldly passions.
• Look at the feelings you are holding.  What impiety and worldly passion are you ready to let go?
• In the new space created in the letting go, what new life does God have for you?
• How do you desire for this new creation to be born?
• How do you desire to give glory to God for the hope of this new creation?
• What is God’s invitation for you today?
• Give thanks to God for this time of new life and for any new insights you have received.
• Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, December 24, 2023, Christmas Eve (Year B)

Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96:1-13
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2023 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction training, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

PSALM 96:1-13

¹   O sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
²   Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
³   Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples.
⁴   For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
⁵   For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
⁶   Honor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
⁷   Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
⁸   Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts.
⁹   Worship the LORD in holy splendor;
tremble before him, all the earth.

¹⁰  Say among the nations, “The LORD is king!
The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
He will judge the peoples with equity.”
¹¹  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
¹²       let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
¹³       before the LORD; for he is coming,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with his truth.

• Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
• Sit in silence five to fifteen minutes embracing the great light that shines before you.
• Worship the Lord in holy splendor.
• Let a new song arise within you.
• Emmanuel, God with us, he is coming.
• He is coming to love the earth.
• Sing for joy!
• What truth arises within you?
• What is God’s invitation for you?
• Give thanks to God for this time of new life and for any new insights you have received.
• Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, December 24, 2023, Christmas Eve (Year B)

Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96:1-13
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2023 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction training, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

Isaiah 9:2-7

²   The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness —
on them light has shined.
³   You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
⁴   For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵   For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶   For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷   His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

• Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
• Sit in silence five to fifteen minutes embracing the great light that shines before you.
• What darkness in you desires to be overcome by the light?
• Allow the light of Christ to warm this desire within you.
• Embrace the light.
• Linger with the light.
• Savor any peace that comes.
• How will you follow the light?
• What is God’s invitation for you?
• Give thanks to God for this time of new life and for any new insights you have received.
• Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, December 24, 2023, Christmas Eve (Year B)

Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96:1-13
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2023 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction training, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

³⁹In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴²and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

⁴⁶And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the LORD,

⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

⁵⁰His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

⁵²He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

⁵⁵according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

• Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
• Sit is silent meditation five to fifteen minutes paying attention to the deep breath.
• As you pay attention to your deep breath, lower or close your eyes as you feel led, focusing on your interior space.
• Notice how you are blessed.
• You are blessed to bless others.
• Embrace and believe the good news of this blessing.
• Are there any obstacles to embrace this blessing that need to be removed?
• Let the obstacles go to make room for blessing.
• Feel the warmth and light of this new blessing.
• Does the blessing have a name?
• Hear the good news of this Advent season.  Embrace the blessing and believe.
• Give thanks to God for this gift of Blessing and for any new insights you have received.
• Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, December 17, 2023, the Third Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126:1-6
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
John 1:6-8, 19-28

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2021 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction training, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.