Litany of the Incarnation

Holy are you, O God, holy, Creator, Father most holy:
Have mercy on us.

Holy are you, O God, holy, most mighty, holy Incarnate:
Have mercy on us.

Holy are you, O God, holy, immortal, holy Life-giver:
Have mercy on us.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

By the angel’s greeting,
grant us your peace.

By Mary’s glad obedience,
grant us your peace.

By the endless joy of Christmas,
grant us your peace.

By the love your mother Mary showed you,
grant us your peace.

By your lowly birth and lodging,
grant us your peace.

By your bed in a manger,
grant us your peace.

By the song of herald angels,
grant us your peace.

By the worship of poor shepherds,
grant us your peace.

By the offering of the Wise Men,
grant us your peace.

By your holy name of Jesus,
grant us your peace.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Hear your children, O Lord God, and grant that the glad light of the Incarnation may shine throughout the world;
Son of Man, hear us.

That the gospel of your love may win the faith and worship of all hearts;
Son of Man, hear us.

That all kinds of people may know and find their unity at Bethlehem;
Son of Man, hear us.

That the questions of all minds and the desires of all souls may find their peace at Bethlehem:
Son of Man, hear us.

That your birth as truly human may hallow the life of all humanity:
Son of Man, hear us.

That we may ever wear in honor the robe of flesh you have worn:
Son of Man, hear us.

That you for whom an inn could find no room may not again be crowded from our lives:
Son of Man, hear us.

That you for whom a stable-place sufficed will also dwell within our hearts:
Son of Man, hear us.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Therefore with angels and archangels, with patriarchs and prophets, with Mary and Joseph, with Wise Men and shepherds, with all people and all creatures, let us bless the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest.

For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders;
Hosanna in the highest.

He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace;
Hosanna in the highest.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;
Hosanna in the highest.

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.
Hosanna in the highest.

We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth;
Hosanna in the highest.

God the Father, our maker,
God the + Son, born among us,
God the Holy Spirit, sanctifying us,
bless, preserve, and keep us, evermore and evermore. Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Cambridge Offices and Orisons, Eric Milner-White, B. T. D. Smith, 1921

Note: The listing of various events in the life of Christ and the prayer for Christ to give us peace by them is a common feature of many litanies. As we meditate on these events and truths we read and hear from God’s Word, his gospel does indeed grant us peace.

The phrase: “That you for whom a stable-place sufficed…” is taken from stanza 2 of the carol, “In the Bleak Midwinter.”

The phrase: “…evermore and evermore” is from the ancient Christmas hymn “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.”

Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version. www.wartburgproject.org.

The original in traditional English can be found here: https://tonusperegrinus.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-litany-of-incarnation.html

Modified format:

Holy are you, O God, holy, Creator, Father most holy: have mercy.
Holy are you, O God, holy, most mighty, holy Incarnate: have mercy.
Holy are you, O God, holy, immortal, holy Life-giver: have mercy.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

By the angel’s greeting,
by Mary’s glad obedience,
by the endless joy of Christmas,
by the love your mother Mary showed you,
by your lowly birth and lodging,
by your bed in a manger,
by the song of herald angels,
by the worship of poor shepherds,
by the offering of the Wise Men,
by your holy name of Jesus: grant us your peace.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Hear your children, O Lord God, and grant
that the glad light of the Incarnation may shine throughout the world,
that the gospel of your love may win the faith and worship of all hearts,
that all kinds of people may know and find their unity at Bethlehem,
that the questions of all minds and the desires of all souls may find their peace at Bethlehem,
that your birth as truly human may hallow the life of all humanity,
that we may ever wear in honor the robe of flesh you have worn,
that you for whom an inn could find no room may not again be crowded from our lives,
that you for whom a stable-place sufficed will also dwell within our hearts: Son of Man, hear us.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Therefore with angels and archangels,
with patriarchs and prophets,
with Mary and Joseph,
with Wise Men and shepherds,
with all people and all creatures,
let us bless the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

For to us a child is born.
To us a son is given.
The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders: Hosanna in the highest.

He will be named:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace: Hosanna in the highest.

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God: Hosanna in the highest.

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us: Hosanna in the highest.

We have seen his glory,
the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father,
full of grace and truth: Hosanna in the highest.

God the Father, our maker,
God the + Son, born among us,
God the Holy Spirit, sanctifying us,
bless, preserve, and keep us, evermore and evermore. Amen.