26 November 2019

For all you early decorators out there...

... and even those of you who wait until closer to the day itself, here is something a little different: A blessing for Christmas trees, copied from the bulletin of St John Cantius in Chicago:

The Christmas Tree Blessing

Father: This is that most worthy Tree in the midst of
Paradise.

All: On which Jesus by His death overcame death
for all.


Father: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice.

All: Let the sea and what fills it resound; let the
plains be joyful and all that is in them! All the trees
of the forest shall exult before the Lord, for He
comes; for He comes to rule the earth. He shall rule
the world with justice and the people with His constancy. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Father: This is that most worthy Tree in the midst of Paradise on which Jesus by His death overcame death for all.

Mother: God said: Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed bearing plants and all kinds of fruit trees
that bear fruit containing their seed. And so it was.
The earth brought forth vegetation, every kind of
seed-bearing plant and all kinds of trees that bear
fruit containing their seed. The Lord God made to
grow out of the ground all kinds of trees pleasant to
the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in
the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And God saw that it was
good.

All: Thanks be to God.

Father: O Lord, hear my prayer.

All: And let my cry come to You.

Father: Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who by dying on the tree of the Cross didst overcome the
death of sin caused by our first parents' eating of the
forbidden tree of paradise, grant, we beseech Thee,
the abundant graces of Thy Nativity, that we may so
live as to be worthy living branches of Thyself, the
good and evergreen Fir Tree, and in Thy strength
bear the fruit of good works for eternal life. Who
livest and reignest for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

The tree is then sprinkled with Holy Water.

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