World Gifts
World Gifts are CAFOD's charity gift range of unusual, ethical presents that will delight your friends and family.
We rejoice and are glad for God who is with us.
A collection of CAFOD's most popular Christmas prayers for personal prayer or use in groups throughout the festive season until Epiphany.
God of joy
God of joy
Remind me to rejoice
Wrapped up in my Christmas gifts
Tied down in my debts
I have forgotten
God of peace,
Remind me of your calm
In my anxiety
And in my haste
I have forgotten
God of all
Remind me
Of the true light of Christmas
Of your gift shared
In my own wants
And in my own needs
I have forgotten
Wrapped up in my little world
Remind me of your world
God of joy, remind me
To rejoice
Amen.
Linda Jones/CAFOD
Unadorned King
In the star we see the cross;
Its points, the thorns,
The azure ring, his robe.
The light which shines on all
The arms which embrace all.
And this despite their mockery,
Mock majesty, pageant pantomime and pomp.
All human conceptions of kingship
Border on the Vaudeville
Verge on the burlesque.
Kings in a stable out of proportion
Distorted, like the body on the cross.
Our attempt to nail down
Divinity Racked and disjointed,
Still suffering our mock homage.
Cast crowns, cast lots, cast off your
Tawdry kind of kingship –
So much dressing up –
Christ rides triumphant over cast-down cloaks
Every inch a king with none of the apparel.
His crown, the star
The cross, his throne where he
Invests the cosmos with his gift of Love, unadorned.
Amen.
Sr Laurentia Johns OSB, Stanbrook Abbey
Wake up and hear our cry
As we journey with the Holy Family to Bethlehem, we pray for all who make forced journeys. Give them strength to carry on and courage to walk the road ahead.
Wake up, little baby God
And hear our cry
As we hear the innkeeper say there is no room, we pray for refugees for whom there is no country. Gather them to yourself and keep them free from harm.
Wake up, little baby God
And hear our cry
As we contemplate that first Christmas night, we pray for those with nowhere to lay their head. Comfort them in their need and uphold them in their plight.
Wake up, little baby God
And hear our cry
As we listen to the cry of the infant king, we pray for children everywhere born into poverty. Wrap them in your love and uphold them in your tender mercy.
Wake up, little baby God
And hear our cry
As we remember the fear of the shepherds in the presence of the angels, we pray for all who are afraid to look ahead. Reassure them with your presence and embolden them to face the future.
Wake up, little baby God
And hear our cry
As we recall the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, we pray for all who flee from danger. Enfold them in your care and challenge us to offer our protection.
Wake up, little baby God
And hear our cry
That justice may be born.
Amen.
Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD
The boat of injustice
Vulnerable God,
As we contemplate the wonder of your birth,
Stir in us the desire to cradle those who have no where to lay their head,
That together we may rock the boat of injustice.
Give us grace to offer our hands to those who reach out
That with faltering steps we may find a way home
And kindle our hearts to embrace the rejected and dispossessed
And so meet you face to face.
We ask this in your name. Amen.
Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD
The hope of Christmas
God, our dayspring and our dawn,
We turn to you when we fear the dark
And all around us weep.
We pray you greet us with your shining light
That we may spread your warm embrace
And kindle the hope of Christmas
In all whose lives remain in shadow.
Come and be our strength
O Lord, our hope and our salvation. Amen.
Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD
Guiding Star
Lord, the sight of the guiding star,
brought hope, courage and joy
to those who had journeyed to find you.
When our journey seems long,
when hope seems far away,
when our courage is failing
fill us with faith and trust;
shine your light on our fears,
lift our hearts with your joy.
Help us to recognise you
in our brothers and sisters
throughout the world;
show us how we can work together
so that we may all come to share in the life
promised to us by Jesus,
the Saviour of us all. Amen
CAFOD
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