Seasonal Devotions
for the Holy Season of Advent
(This page is very lengthy, so you may wish to cut and paste the individual novenas as you need them.)
Reflection on The Holy Season of Advent
The Liturgical Year opens with the holy Season of Advent. This period of preparation for the great solemnity celebrating the coming of the Son of God among men, represents the long centuries of eager waiting which preceded the appearance of the Redeemer. It is a time of hope, full of the longings and aspirations of the Prophets who announced the promised Messiah. But in particular it is the season of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who awaits the fulfillment, in her own sacred person, of the message brought by the Angel Gabriel.
Holy Mother Church wishes us to be filled with the interior dispositions in which the Just among the Chosen People lived before the coming of the Messiah. We shall thus prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ into our souls by faith and Divine charity, as well as for His final Coming, on the Day of Judgment.
In union with the Prophets, and especially with Our Lady, our hearts should yield themselves up to an absolute confidence in Him Who is to come, so that the graces of His Nativity may be brought to us in abundance, and that Jesus may be truly born anew in our hearts.
The Advent Wreath
Originating in Germany several hundred years ago, it has become a cherished custom for many families throughout America. Children are deeply impressed with the beautiful symbolism of the Advent Wreath. Their anticipation of Christmas, the Birthday of Christ, increases as the ceremonies progress each week of Advent.
Christians preparing for their feast of light and life-the Nativity of the Savior-found this wreath an appropriate means of doing so. Adding one light for each of the four Sundays in Advent, they think about the darkness without God after the Fall, and the growing hope for salvation, enkindled in Paradise, and nourished through the ages by the prophets up to John, the Precursor, until the Morning Star who announces the coming of the Sun came forth: the Virgin who bore a Son.
The wreath without beginning and end stands for eternity; the evergreens for life and growth; the four candles, preferably of beeswax and blessed and set aside since Candlemas, represent the ages "sitting in darkness and the shadow of death", each candle adding more light until Christmas, when the light from the wreath sets off, as it were, the blaze of light on the "tree of life", the Christmas tree-for the time is fulfilled.
The Blessing of the Wreath
The Blessing should take place on Saturday evening before the First Sunday of Advent. Before the evening meal the father or, in his absence, the head of the household, performs the blessing in the presence of the entire family. The candles are lit while everyone sings the hymn, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."
Father: Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
Family: Who hath made Heaven and Earth.
Let us pray:
O God, by Whose Word all things are sanctified, pour forth Thy blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ, and may receive from Thee abundant graces. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
The father then sprinkles the wreath with holy water. Each night the candles are lighted before the evening meal while the Advent hymn is sung. The prayers proper to each week of Advent follow, and the second verse of the Advent hymn is sung at the end. For the first week, one candle is lighted by the youngest child during the hymn, and left burning throughout the evening meal. Two candles are lighted by the oldest child during the second week; three candles are lighted by the mother during the third week. All four candles are lighted by the father during the fourth week of Advent.
Daily Advent Psalms and Prayers
Advent Hymn
O come, O come, Emmanuel! And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.
Chorus
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel! To thee shall come Emmanuel.
Veni, veni Emmanuel! Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio, privatus Dei Filio.
Chorus
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel! Nascetur pro te, Israel.
Drop down dew from above, ye heavens, and let the clouds rain the Just One; let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior. (Isa. 14:8)
"Come, let us adore our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!"
(Repeat together after each prophecy or verse.)
FIRST WEEK:
Rejoice, O daughter of Sion, and be jubilantly glad, O daughter of Israel. Behold, thy Lord cometh, and in His day a great light shall arise; the mountains shall drop down sweetness and the hills shall flow with milk and honey, for the Great Prophet shall come and He shall renew Jerusalem. (Roman Breviary)
Behold, thy God cometh, the Man of the House of David, to sit upon the throne; and you shall see and your heart shall rejoice. (Rom. Brev.)
Let us pray:
O Lord, stir up Thy power, we beg Thee, and come, that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and be saved by Thy deliverance. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
SECOND WEEK:
Behold, the Lord, our Protector, cometh, the Holy One of Israel, having on His head the regal crown, and He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (Apoc. 14:14; Ps. 71:8)
Behold, the Lord cometh, and He will not lie; should He tarry, await Him; for He shall assuredly come and shall not delay. (Rom. Brev.)
Let us pray:
O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare the ways of Thine only begotten Son, that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with purified minds. Through Christ our Lord. R.Amen.
THIRD WEEK:
The Lord shall come down as rain upon the fleece, and in His days shall justice spring up and abundance of peace; and all kings of the earth shall adore Him, all nations serve Him. (Ps. 51:6-7,11)
A Child is born to us, and He shall be called the Mighty God; He shall sit upon the throne of David, His Father, and shall rule; for the government is upon His shoulders. (Isa. 9:6)
Let us pray:
O Lord, we beseech Thee, incline Thine ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
FOURTH WEEK:
Bethlehem, city of the most high God, out of thee shall go forth the Ruler of Israel, and His proceeding is from the beginning, even from the days of eternity; and He shall be exalted in the midst of the whole earth, and peace shall hold sway in the day of His coming. (Mich. 5:2)
Our forerunner Jesus, the Lamb undefiled, has entered the Holy of Holies for us, having become a High Priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech... He is the King of Justice... having neither beginning of days, nor end of life. (Heb. 6:20)
Let us pray:
O Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power and come; and with great might deliver us, that with the help of Thy grace, Thy merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
Daily Advent Prayer
O Infant Savior, many times in life we have prepared for guests about to enter our beloved household. Some guests were important, but not nearly as important as the heavenly Visitor, for Whom we now prepare our hearts.
The Prophets of old longed for Thy coming into their world. We long for Thy return to our modern world. If Advent means the coming of Christ, there is nothing we need so badly today as an Advent-another coming of Thyself and Thy principles into our pagan times. Only then will we breathe in a Christian atmosphere, in which joy replaces sorrow, peace replaces war and disturbance, in which love casts out darkness.
O Mary, my Mother, be my model during this holy season. Christ was alive within thee during the first Advent. We want Him to be more alive within us than ever during this Advent. May we not merely possess our precious Catholic Faith-rather, may It take complete possession of us, so that wherever we go, whatever we do or say, it will be the Christ Child that inspires us.
We resolve to make our Christmas a holy day with Christ instead of a holiday without Him. We resolve to observe Christmas as the Birthday of Christ, not merely as a day to give and receive merchandise; to help at least one poor family in honor of the Holy Family of Bethlehem. We promise to remember that the real symbols of Christmas are the star, the stable and the crib, not Santa and his reindeer.
Finally, we promise every day to give glory to God in the highest, and to work and pray for peace on earth among men of good will. Amen.
To Jesus Living in Mary
O Jesus living in Mary, come and live in Thy servants,
In the spirit of Thy holiness, in the fullness of Thy might,
In the truth of Thy virtues, in the perfection of Thy ways,
In the communion of Thy mysteries.
Subdue every hostile power in Thy Spirit,
For the glory of the Father. Amen.
Preparing for the Feast of His Holy Birth
Hail and blessed be the hour and the moment in which the Son of God was born of the Most Pure Blessed Virgin Mary, at midnight in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and to grant my petitions, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (Second verse of hymn)
O come Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of Hell thy people save, and give them victory o'er the grave.
Chorus
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel! To thee shall come Emmanuel.
Veni, O Jesse Virgula! Ex hostis tuos ungula,
De specu tuos tartari, educ, et antro barathri.
Chorus
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel! Nascetur pro te, Israel.
The Powerful Novena of Grace
to St. Francis Xavier
Novena: Nov. 24-Dec. 2; Feast: December 3
O glorious St. Francis Xavier, well beloved and overflowing with ardent charity, in union with thee I reverently adore the Divine Majesty; and while I rejoice with exceeding joy and giving fervent thanks to God for the singular gifts of grace which He conferred on thee in life, and for the great glory with which He has gifted thee in Heaven; I come to thee with heartfelt confidence, and beseech thee with all my heart's devotion, that thou wouldst be please to obtain for me, by thy powerful intercession, the inestimable blessings of living and dying in the state of grace. I also beseech thee to obtain for me the favor I ask in this novena... (mention petitions)
But if what I ask does not tend to the glory of God, or to the greater good of my soul, do thou, I pray thee, obtain for me what is most conducive to both. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father...
V. Pray for us, O glorious St. Francis Xavier;
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray:
O God, Who wast pleased to restore to the bosom of Thy Church the nations of the Indies, through the preaching and miracles of St. Francis Xavier, mercifully grant us, that we may imitate his virtues, whose glorious merits we hold in veneration; through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
Novena in Honor of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Novena: Nov. 29-Dec. 7; Feast: December 8
In view of the merits of her Divine Son, the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, alone enjoyed the privilege of being preserved from Original Sin. From the first moment of her Conception, God willed that she should crush the head of the Serpent, by always exempting her from his dominion. This was because He had decreed, from all eternity, that she was to be the Mother of the Incarnate Word. Thus, the Immaculate Virgin Mary was never, even for an instant, subject to the evil spirit. She was always in the state of sanctifying grace, and pleasing to God beyond measure. On December 8, 1854, His Holiness, Pope Pius IX, defined this prerogative of Our Lady as a solemn dogma, thus proclaiming this most ancient and constant tradition of the true Christian Church. Let us have fervent recourse to this Virgin most powerful in the present apocalyptic struggles with the legions of Hell. In a special way, let us take the Immaculate Virgin Mary as the special protectress of the purity of our body and soul. Following the pious practice of countless devout children of Mary, let us offer three Hail Marys each morning and evening for the grace of holy purity.
Preparatory Prayer
"A great sign appeared in Heaven: a Woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." (Apoc. 12:1)
"Come and hear, all ye who fear God, and I will tell you what great things the Lord hath done for my soul." (Ps. 65:16)
Let us celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary! Let us adore her Son, Christ our Lord!
Glory be to the Father…
Let us Pray
O God, Who in a wondrous manner didst preserve the Mother of Thine only-begotten Son from the taint of Original Sin in her Conception; grant, we beseech Thee, that strengthened by her prayers, and being made clean of heart, we may devoutly make this novena in her honor. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Hail Mary…
Immaculate Mary, our hearts are on fire!
That title, so wondrous, fills all our desire!
Chorus
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!
Traditional Prayer
For the Special intentions of the Novena
Holy Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, we are assembled here today to show thee our veneration and love. We rejoice at the dignity and glory which our Lord has bestowed upon thee; we praise and glorify Him for having given us a Mother adorned with a most pure and tender Heart.
We consecrate to thee, O Virgin most spotless and Mother most dear, these nine days of prayer, and especially this day. We choose thee as our Mother, our Patroness, and our advocate with thy Divine Son, Jesus, now and forever. We consecrate to thee our soul and body; to thee we recommend all our wishes and desires, our sorrows and miseries, our whole life, and especially the end thereof. O, show thyself a Mother to us.
We recommend to thee the whole Catholic Church, our Bishop, all priests and religious, our parents, superiors, benefactors, relatives, friends, and enemies, and the souls of the faithful departed.
O Immaculate Virgin Mary, graciously hear our prayers, and receive the petitions which we unite with those of all the faithful on earth and of the angels and saints in Heaven. We commend especially to thee all of those souls, intentions, and petitions which have been commended to our prayers, or placed upon the altar, that they may be granted as they are in accord with the Divine Will, for the greater honor and glory of God, and the salvation of souls.
Intercede for us, O Immaculate Lady, and obtain for us that greatest of all graces: to be faithful to thee and thy Divine Son unto death, and after death, to obtain the happiness in Heaven of praising and thanking thee with all the angels and saints; and with them loving and adoring thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, for all eternity. Amen. Hail Mary...
V. O Mary, conceived without sin,
R. Pray for us who have recourse to thee.
HYMN
In grief and temptation, in joy and in pain,
We'll seek thee, our Mother, nor seek thee in vain.
Chorus
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!
FIRST DAY -- November 29
Prayer Against Temptations
Immaculate Virgin Mary, most pleasing to our Lord, chosen by Him to be His own spotless Mother, O turn thy benevolent gaze upon us, thy pitiful supplicants, now seeking thy powerful protection! To this very hour are the wretched children of Eve assaulted fiercely and often ensnared by the malicious Serpent, against whom was uttered the primal curse. Do thou, then, O loving Mother, our Queen and our Advocate, thou who from the first moment of thy Immaculate Conception didst crush the Serpent's head, accept the prayers which we implore thee to offer, in union with thy Immaculate Heart, at the throne of God: so that, never yielding to the temptations and diabolical wiles that beset us, we may all come at last to the harbor of salvation, and in the midst of perils so great, Holy Mother Church and all of Her faithful children may sing once more the hymn of deliverance, victory, and peace. Amen.
Hail Mary...
O Immaculate Virgin Mary, who didst come into the world
without spot, I implore thee to obtain from God
the grace that I may leave it without sin.
HYMN
For poor, sick, afflicted, thy mercy we crave.
And comfort the dying, thou light of the grave.
Chorus
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!
SECOND and SEVENTH DAY -- November 30 & December 5
Prayer of Confidence
O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and my own loving Mother, from thy exalted place look upon me with eyes of pity. Trusting wholly in thy goodness and conscious of thy power, I entreat thee to aid me in the journey of this life, so fraught with peril to my immortal soul. Grant that I may never be enslaved to the Devil through pride and disobedience to God's holy Will, but may live my life with an upright, pure, and humble heart. I give myself completely to thee; I consecrate my heart to thee forever, desiring only to love thy Divine Son, Jesus, more and more. O Immaculate Mother, no true servant of thine has ever been lost. May I too, then, attain unto eternal salvation! Amen. Hail Mary...
In thy Conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast Immaculate.
Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son, Jesus, conceived by
the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth into the world.
HYMN: For poor, sick, afflicted... Chorus
THIRD DAY -- December 1
Prayer of Saint Vincent Pallotti
O Immaculate Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, Mother of Mercy, Help and Refuge of sinners! Enlightened and strengthened by the graces which thy maternal solicitude has bountifully obtained for me from the Divine treasury, I now resolve to give my heart, from henceforth and forever, into thy hands, that it may be totally consecrated to Jesus.
I surrender it to thee, therefore, Most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the presence of the nine choirs of Angels and all the Saints. Do thou, in turn, consecrate it to Jesus in my name. And that filial trust which I place in thee, O Immaculate Mother, gives me the certainty that, now and always, thou wilt obtain for me the grace, that my heart may ever belong wholly to Jesus, in perfect imitation of the Saints, especially St. Joseph, thy most pure spouse. Amen. Hail Mary...
V. O Mary, conceived without sin,
R. Pray for us who have recourse to thee.
To thee, O Immaculate Virgin Mother, never sullied by any stain of sin,
original or actual, I commend and entrust the purity of my heart.
HYMN: For poor, sick, afflicted... Chorus
FOURTH and EIGHTH DAY -- December 2 & 6
Prayer of St. Ephrem
O Pure and Immaculate and Blessed Virgin! O Sinless and Inviolate One, and Holy Mother of thy great Son, the Lord of the Universe! O hope of the despairing and the guilty, we praise thee! We glorify thee as being imbued with every grace, thou who didst bring forth Christ, God and Man. Deliver us, O Virgin holy and undefiled, from every difficult necessity, and from every temptation of the Devil. Be our Advocate and Defender at the hour of death and judgment. Save us from the fire that shall not be quenched and from the outer darkness. Make us worthy, O sweetest and most merciful Virgin and Mother, of the graces of thy Divine Son. For thou art our one most sacred and most certain hope before God, to Whom be glory and honor, majesty and dominion, forever and ever. Amen. Hail Mary…
Praised be the holy and Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!
HYMN
For poor, sick, afflicted, thy mercy we crave.
And comfort the dying, thou light of the grave.
FIFTH and NINTH DAY -- December 3 and 7
Dedication to the Immaculate Conception
Holy Mary, Mother of God, conceived without sin, ever-virgin, full of grace! I, thy unworthy child, choose thee this day for my Mother, my Protectress, and my Advocate. I firmly resolve never to forsake thee, and never to commit anything offensive to thy pure eyes and thy maternal affection. Therefore, O Mother full of grace, I beseech thee, through thy Immaculate Conception, to accept me as thy perpetual client and servant, and to assist me in all my undertakings. Forsake me not, especially in the hour of death. Amen. Hail Mary…
V. O Mary, conceived without sin,
R. Pray for us who have recourse to thee.
HYMN: For poor, sick, afflicted... Chorus
SIXTH DAY -- December 4
Prayer of St. Germanus of Constantinople
Hail Mary, full of grace! Thou art holier than the saints, more exalted than the heavens, more glorious than the angels, more worthy of honor than all creatures. Hail, spotless Palace of God, adorned with the splendor of the King most high! Thou receivest us all with kindness and refreshest us with heavenly delights. Thy prayers to thy Son, our Lord and God, the Creator of all, are most powerful because they are a mother's prayers. May they steer the course of that ship which is the Church, and direct It to the quiet harbor of Heaven. Clothe priests with the fair garment of sanctity; convert unbelieving people who ignore thee and the God born of thee. Strengthen the faithful that they may persevere in the sweet service of God according to His holy law.
Shield from danger and fear the hearts of those who praise thee. Be a consoling Mother to wayfarers on earth who are in need of a home and shelter. Extend thy helping hand to the whole world. And may we, in the spirit of joy, bring thy glorious feastday to a glorious close in Christ Jesus, to Whom, with the Father, the sacred Source of life, and the Holy Ghost, reigning together with Him eternally, be glory and majesty, now and through endless ages. Amen. Hail Mary...
V. O Mary, conceived without sin,
R. Pray for us who have recourse to thee.
FEAST -- December 8
Antiphon. Today a branch grew out of the root of Jesse; today Mary was conceived without stain of sin; today she crushed the head of the ancient Serpent. Grace abounds in her Conception, and she has appeared as the fairest of the daughters of men.
Salutation of St. Francis to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Hail, noble Lady, most holy Queen! Mother of God, Mary ever-virgin! Chosen by the most Holy Father of Heaven, and consecrated by Him, with His most holy and beloved Son, and the Spirit Paraclete! Thou in whom was and is all the fullness of grace and of goodness! Hail, thou, His Palace! Hail, thou, His Tabernacle! Hail, thou, His Home! Hail, thou, His Vesture! Hail, thou, His Handmaid! Hail, thou, His Mother! And hail, too, all thy holy virtues, which, by the grace and light of the Holy Ghost and thy powerful intercession, are poured forth into the hearts of the faithful to make them, from faithless ones, faithful children of God.
Hail Mary…
HYMN: For poor, sick, afflicted... Chorus
EVERY DAY:
Tota Pulchra
Thou art all-fair, O Mary, and the original stain is not in Thee. Thou, the glory of Jerusalem, Thou the joy of Israel, Thou, the great honor of our people, Thou the advocate of sinners. O Mary, O Mary! Virgin most prudent, Mother most merciful, pray for us. Intercede for us with Our Lord Jesus Christ.
HYMN
We pray, dearest Mother, for those who now stray,
From Jesus and Mary on heresy's way.
Chorus
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!
Anthem
O stainless Mother of the Lord, while we thy glory chant,
A gracious ear to us accord and heavenly favor grant.
A sad inheritance we own; in guilt our lives begin;
Exempt from Adam's fall alone, thou never knewest sin.
Prone on the earth beneath thy heel the serpent's head remained;
Thou only dost to Heaven reveal an origin unstained.
Do thou, whose glory takes away the shame of Mother Eve,
Accept the tribute that we pay, and all our wants relieve.
From Satan's every dart and snare our weakened souls defend,
That so thy glory we may share, in joys that never end.
To Thee, O Jesus, glory meet, the Virgin Mary's Son,
To Father and to Paraclete be equal honor done. Amen.
V. Pray for us, O Immaculate Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Concluding Prayer:
O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, didst prepare a worthy dwelling place for Thy Son, we entreat Thee, Who didst preserve Her from all stain of sin by the Death of that same Son, foreseen by Thee, to grant that through her intercession we also may be made clean, and so may come unto Thee. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. Grant that I may praise Thee, O sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against Thine enemies.
Memorare...
HYMN
At death's solemn moment, O Mother be nigh.
As children of Mary, please teach us to die.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!
Little Office of the Immaculate Conception
Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Madonna of the Americas
Novena: December 3-11
Feast: December 12
In 1531 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to an Indian convert at Guadalupe, Mexico, and miraculously impressed Her image upon his mantle. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City has been one of the most celebrated places of pilgrimage in America. Her feast is traditionally celebrated with great solemnity in Mexico and in western sections of the United States. Our Lady is venerated under this title as the patroness of Mexico, and of all the Americas.
EVERY DAY:
"I chose this place and made it holy, in order that My name might be honored, and My eyes and My heart might remain there forever."
(2 Para. 7:16)
"Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array? As the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds, and as the flowers of roses in the days of sprouting?" (Canticles 6:9)
Hail Mary…
Mary speaks:
I am the Mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope... My memory is carried on through ages of ages. (Ecclus. 24:24)
Let us Pray:
O God, Who hast been pleased to bestow upon us unceasing favors by having in a special manner placed us under the protection of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, grant us, Thy unworthy servants, who rejoice in honoring her today upon earth, the happiness of seeing her blessed countenance in Heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Daily Reflection:
"Behold thy Mother!" By these words from the Cross, our Divine Lord gave His Mother to St. John, the Beloved Apostle, and to His true followers who humbly and faithfully stand by the Cross in the company of Mary; who love, trust, and seek Her. The Church teaches that the Blessed Virgin Mary is thus our Mother by adoption, and also in the order of grace, through the Incarnation. Mary is the Mother of Christ, the Head of the Mystical Body. As the Mystical Body is one, she is, therefore, the Mother of the members of the Mystical Body, individually. In none of her apparitions has Our Lady more tenderly and clearly expressed and manifested this title than in Her message as Our Lady of Guadalupe, where she promised all the offices of a Mother to those who love, who trust, and confide in Her; where she announced herself and asked: "Am I not here, Thy Mother?"
Glory be to the Father…
I. Am I not Here, Who am thy Mother?
December 3, 6, 9, & 12
O noble Lady of Guadalupe, when the Indians saw thy wonderful Image, miraculously imprinted upon Juan Diego's rough tilma, they recognized it to be a picture-writing containing a celestial message which was directed to them. Thy regal figure in the form of a human being taught them that thy dwelling place at one time must have been on earth. The rays of the sun, the clouds which surround thy body, the stars on thy garment, the crescent under thy feet, the angel who transports thee through space, all denote that thy present abode is in Heaven, and called their attention to the immortality of the human soul.
O holy Mary, as thy image on the garment of Juan Diego taught the Indians, so let it teach me never to forget the immortality of my soul, that Heaven is my true destiny and my eternal inheritance. Amid the temptations and miseries of this present life, let me always bear in mind this home of peace, of glory and eternal bliss. Hail Mary…
The words of Our Lady of Guadalupe spoken to the humble Indian, Juan Diego, on the hill of Tepeyac, December 9, 1531:
"My dear little son, whom I love tenderly, know that I am the Virgin Mary, Mother of the One, True God, Giver and Maintainer of life, Creator of all things, Lord of Heaven and earth, Who is in all places. I wish a temple to be erected here, where I can manifest the compassion I have for the natives, and for all who solicit my help."
These words of thine, my heavenly Mother, fill my heart with love and gratitude-with renewed faith and hope-because they are directed to me also. Therefore I turn to thee, confident of obtaining through thy intercession, the graces which will enable me to live in accordance with the teaching of thy Divine Son, Jesus, Whom I desire to love with all my heart. Thou didst share in all that my Savior suffered for me, therefore I belong to thee also, and thou art my most loving Mother. Ah, do not abandon me in this vale of tears; take pity, I beseech thee, on my spiritual poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries. Ave Maria…
The merciful words spoken on the fourth and last visit to Juan Diego:
"Do not let anything afflict you, and do not be afraid of any illness or accident or pain. Am I not here, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Do you need anything else?"
These thy words were also directed to me and they fill my heart with gladness and hope. Turn then, most gracious Mother, thine eyes of mercy towards me, and perfect me in thy love. Grant that I may never fail to place all of my troubles and worries at thy feet, knowing thou art ever mindful that thou art my Mother; that I am under thy shadow and protection, and that thou wilt obtain for me the consolation of which I am so much in need. Dios te Salve Maria…
II. She Who Crushes the Head of the Serpent
December 4, 7, 10, & 12
When thou didst visit Juan Diego's dying uncle, Juan Bernardino, healing him and declaring unto him thy name -- Immaculate Virgin Mary, who crushed the head of the Serpent-thou didst fill the Indians' hearts with joy. It told them that they need no longer make human sacrifices to the ancient Serpent through their pagan idols.
Hail, Holy Queen, merciful Mother, Hail! Our life, our sweetness and our hope! Permit me to join in the canticles of praise that the peoples of the Americas have sent up to thy throne, many coming long distances to offer thee prayers and gifts. Pray for us, holy Mother of God. Exterminate the Serpent of evil from our lives, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ, thy Divine Son. Dios te salve, Maria…
For centuries the natives of Mexico had worshiped the sun, sacrificing countless human beings in its honor. But when they beheld thy beautiful Image blotting it out, so that only its rays were visible, they understood the lesson it was intended to convey. For after the Indians had heard thy message and read that which thine Image contains, they abandoned their false gods and embraced the loving doctrine of thy Divine Son. Never have they ceased to give thanks for the great mercy that Almighty God showered upon them when He sent thee to be their Queen, their Mother, and their Teacher.
O holy Mary, through the mystery of the Incarnation of thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein our salvation was begun, obtain for us light to understand the greatness of the benefit He hath bestowed upon us in becoming like unto us, and in giving Thee, His own venerated Mother, to be our Mother also. Dios te Salve Maria…
The fires that burned on the altars of the false gods were extinguished forever after the Indians had contemplated thine Image and seen thee attired with the firmament covered with stars. This showed them that the stars had been created by the Invisible God to serve mankind and therefore could not be deities to whom adoration and sacrifices were due.
Most holy Mary, who, through thy Image stamped by God on the Indian's garment, hast brought millions of pagans into the light of the true Faith, I beg thee to obtain for me the grace of understanding the message it contains. Shed upon me the light of thy countenance; direct and sanctify all my undertakings. Ave Maria...
III. Holy Mother of the One True God
December 5, 8, 11 & 12
The emblem of our Redemption, stamped upon the golden brooch fastened to thy tunic, served to tell the Indians that the Religion of their conquerors was the only one they were to embrace; for the Cross on the banner of Hernando Cortez and on the brooch were the same. When they saw it upon thine Image, they flocked around the Spanish missionaries, eager to know its meaning. They were told about the Savior Who came from Heaven to redeem the human race through His death upon the Cross, and that thou art the Virgin Mother of the Divine Victim, associated with Him in the mystery of our Redemption. Happy nation, to whom thou didst reveal thyself, and the One, True God.
Holy Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, my Queen and Mother, more than four hundred and seventy years have passed since thou didst speak to Juan Diego, and so far only a few of thy children in other lands have become aware of the purpose of thine Image on the altar of Thy shrine. Inspire me then to see in this miraculous picture the instrument for the conversion of all to the Catholic-Apostolic Faith, thou who art the adorable Queen and Mother of the Apostles and missionaries. Hail Mary...
After Juan Diego had cut the magnificent roses that had bloomed suddenly on the barren hill of Tepeyac, he brought them to thee at the foot of the mount where thou wast waiting. With thine own hands thou didst carefully arrange them in his tilma, tying it around his neck, telling him to take them to Bishop Zumárraga, and that this sign would induce him to start building Thy temple. The last words which he heard from Thy adorable lips were: "Thou art my ambassador, worthy of confidence; go in peace."
The sacred picture on the coarse cloth of the tilma could not have been painted by human hands. It convinced the Bishop, as it ought to convince every person who looks at it, that Juan Diego's message was truly thine.
Humbly I beseech thee, my Queen and Mother, let me be thy ambassador, like Juan Diego, to give the doctrine contained in thine Image to all those with whom I come in contact, in order to lead them to Thy Divine Son. Dios te salve, Maria…
O holy Virgin, enthroned on the spot which thou didst choose in the very heart of an idolatrous nation, thou didst marvelously work its conversion. After seeing thine Image on the tilma of their countryman, Juan Diego, the Indians stripped their temples of all idols, built beautiful churches on whose towers gleaming crosses shone in the sun, and the huge drum which innumerable times announced human sacrifices in honor of their gods, was heard no more.
As Juan Diego spent the remaining seventeen years of his life in giving thy spoken message to the Indians, so permit me, my loving Mother, to help in making known thy celestial message among my countrymen. Animate and bless all who join in this admirable devotion, and grant us the grace to zealously propagate the Catholic religion among those we meet, having as our banner thy admirable image on Juan Diego's tilma, together with the Cross, the emblem of our Redemption. Ave Maria...
Memorare to Our Lady of Guadalupe
Daily
Remember, O most gracious Virgin of Guadalupe, that in thy celestial apparitions on the Mount of Tepeyac, thou didst promise to show thy compassion and pity towards all, who, loving and trusting thee, seek thy help and call upon thee in their necessities and afflictions. Thou didst promise to hearken to our supplications, to dry our tears, and to give us consolation and relief. Never has it been known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, either for the common welfare, or in personal anxieties, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Mary, ever-Virgin Mother of the True God! Though grieving under the weight of our sins, we come to prostrate ourselves in thy august presence, certain that thou wilt deign to fulfill thy merciful promises. We are full of hope that, standing beneath thy shadow and protection, nothing will trouble or afflict us, nor need we fear illness or misfortune, or any other sorrow. Thou hast desired to remain with us through thy admirable image, thou who art our Mother, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. Placing ourselves beneath thy maternal gaze, and having recourse to thee in all our necessities, we need do nothing more. O holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer us. Amen.
Prayer to the Madonna of the Americas
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mystical Rose, make intercession for Holy Church; protect our Most Reverend Bishop, help all those who invoke thee in their necessities; and since thou art the ever Virgin Mary, and Mother of the true God, obtain for us from thy most holy Son, the grace of keeping our Faith, sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life, burning charity, and the precious gift of final perseverance. Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Patroness of the Captive Nations
O Lady of Guadalupe, patroness and advocate of the humble and oppressed, we commend to thee today the peoples of the captive nations, suffering under the heel of Godless Communism and militant Islam. Be with them and comfort them in their hour of desolation. Grant them grace and courage to resist the vicious attacks made against them, solely on account of the Christian name. We commend to thee especially, dearest Mother, those members of the Mystical Body of Christ yet surviving in these nations, that they may remain faithful to thy Divine Son and His Church in the face of persecution, threats, and even death. Immaculate Heart of Mary, be the refuge, hope and victory for all of our suffering brethren, living under the oppression of anti-God Socialism, enduring cruel Islamic tyranny, or undergoing any other form of persecution. Protect our own beloved country and the remnant Catholic Church from the persecutions of a looming police state, as well as the scourge of Islamic terrorism. Holy Army of God, Saints, Martyrs, Angels and Archangels, hasten to our assistance, and bring us safely through this dark night of persecution. Amen.
Novena Prayer
Dearest Mary, thou didst not promise Juan Diego, nor any of thy children, an end to all sorrow. Thou didst promise rather to see their tears, to hear the stories of their sorrows, to listen to the pleas of their crushed hearts and bruised spirits; that thou wouldst listen to the prayers for afflicted ones left at home with aching, pain-filled bodies. Thou didst promise to remedy and alleviate; not always to take away or heal.
Dear Mother, we ask thee to help us learn better that suffering and true happiness must go together. We ask thee to help us remain always truly resigned to God's Will, as we commend to thy Immaculate Heart our loved ones and petitions. Amen.
Profession of Faith
Adapted from the Protesta de Fe (Declaration of Faith) formulated at the Chilapa Synod in Mexico in 1893, where the Bishops decreed that it should be publicly recited by all children on the day of their First Holy Communion, by all young men at their entrance into the seminary, by all clerics before each ordination, and by all priests during the ceremony of taking over a parish. It should be read on the first day of the novena, and on Our Lady's feast.
Most amiable Queen and Sovereign Lady of Guadalupe, powerful and most tender Mother, and Queen of all the Americas, with my soul overflowing with unutterable consolation, and my heart full of sweetest gratitude, I come to prostrate myself at thy sacred feet, and to declare, once again, before Heaven and earth, that I believe with lively and unshakable faith the most happy event of thy loving Apparition on the blessed hill of Tepeyac, to the favored Indian, Juan Diego, on whose cloak, filled as it was with the marvelous roses that had touched thy most pure hands, thou didst leave, stamped in bright and indelible colors, thy beautiful miraculous picture, which, these four centuries and more, is miraculously preserved as a precious memorial of thy maternal love, and a sure pledge of thy sovereign protection.
For this rarest of favors, this most treasured escutcheon of thy dignities, I, from my heart, fervently thank thee. I declare my desire that I might always praise thee, with that elevated piety and fond enthusiasm, with which thy loving apparition has been celebrated; and thy bounties extolled by so many Sovereign Pontiffs, renowned Prelates, illustrious members of the clergy and the religious orders, great Kings, and other high personages; as well as by all the pious and grateful generations that in the long course of over four hundred and seventy years have continued to bless thy most sweet Name, and have publicly rendered thee splendid homages of filial love, both on the blessed hill that thy most pure footsteps ennobled, and in the many magnificent sanctuaries that their affectionate hearts have everywhere dedicated to thee.
Obtain for me, most amiable Mother, the grace to be day by day more grateful for thy favors. And since thou art, happily, the Treasurer of the rich and inexhaustible gifts which for our welfare are contained in the Sacred Heart of thy Divine Son, cause to flow down upon me the graces necessary to be faithful to Him, in the observance of His Holy Commandments, and the fulfillment of the obligations proper to my state in life. I trust, sweet sovereign Lady, that thou wilt never cease to exercise in my behalf the office of the tenderest and fondest of mothers; for thou didst show that this was indeed thy most loving purpose, when thou didst show thyself in such amiable majesty to the fortunate Juan Diego; and asked to have there erected to thee, a temple, in which thou wouldst abundantly dispense thy blessings.
To correspond in some way with thy maternal patronage, I promise to love thee with all my heart, and to carefully avoid all sin, which so much displeases thee. Oh! through thy love, most sweet Mother, may I obtain the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and hereafter, as the reward of my fidelity, may I praise Him in Thy company, and that of my glorious patron, thy most chaste Spouse, Saint Joseph, in the blissful everlasting mansions of glory. Amen.
HYMN TO THE LADY OF THE ROSES
Ave Maria, my Lady of the Roses,
Holy Mary of Guadalupe,
I stand here humbly at thy feet.
Make me a Juan Diego, unworthy though I be.
Let me carry thy message far and near.
Let me show my love for thee.
Ave Maria, my Lady of the Roses,
O Mother of the Americas,
Loving Mother, please smile on me!
Loving Mother, please smile on me!
Maria!
St. Nicholas of Myra,
Bishop & Confessor
Feast: December 6
Glorious St. Nicholas, our special patron, from thy throne in glory where thou dost enjoy the Presence of God, turn thine eyes in pity upon us, and obtain for us from our Lord the graces and helps that we need in our spiritual and temporal necessities. Be mindful, likewise, O glorious and saintly Bishop, of our Most Reverend Bishop, of Holy Mother Church, and all of the remnant faithful. Bring back to the right way of salvation all those who are living steeped in sin, and blinded by the darkness of ignorance, error and heresy. Comfort the afflicted, provide for the needy, strengthen the fearful, defend the oppressed, give health to the infirm, cause all men to experience the effects of thy powerful intercession with the Supreme Giver of every good and perfect gift. Amen. Pater, Ave, Gloria...
V. Pray for us, O Blessed St. Nicholas;
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray:
O God, Who hast glorified blessed Nicholas, Thine illustrious Confessor and Bishop, by means of countless signs and wonders, and Who dost not cease daily so to glorify him, grant, we beseech Thee, that we, being assisted by his merits and prayers, may be delivered from the fires of Hell and from all dangers. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. (300 days.)
Translation of the Holy House
of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto
Triduum: December 7-9; Feast: December 10
Since the 15th century the Holy House of Loreto has been one of the most famous shrines in Christendom. According to tradition, this house is the very spot where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born, and the Word was made Flesh; and that Angels conveyed it from the Holy Land to Italy at the end of the 13th century. This fact accounts for the Feast of the Translation of the Holy House of Loreto. Forty-seven Popes have rendered honor to this glorious shrine. (Read a longer article on the history of the Holy House)
"Awe-inspiring is this place! This is the house of God and the gate of heaven, and it shall be called the temple of God." (Gen. 28:17)
Hail Mary...
"How delightful is Thy dwelling, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs for the courts of the Lord." (Ps. 83:2)
Hail Mary…
Mary speaks:
"Blessed is he who hearkens unto me, and who watches daily at my gates, and waits at the posts of my doors... He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall obtain salvation from the Lord." (Prov. 8:34-35)
Let us Pray:
O God, Who didst mercifully sanctify the house of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin through the mystery of the Incarnation, and didst place it in the bosom of Thy Church in a miraculous manner, grant that we may avoid the dwellings of sinners and be made inhabitants of Thy holy and eternal home. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Novena: December 9-17; Feast: December 18
Meditation
This feast was celebrated from the earliest centuries of the Church in Spain, ever since St. Ildephonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, during the midnight Matins of this Feast (which was also celebrated in honor of the Annunciation) was favored with an apparition of our Heavenly Mother, who clothed him with a precious chasuble brought by the Angels. This is the origin of the ancient celebration of the Incarnation in the Gothic Kingdoms of Spain. As that feast is now observed on March 25, this festival gives expression to the Blessed Virgin Mary's ardent longing for the sacred moment of the Birth of her Divine Child. She eagerly awaited Him Whom her soul loved, the most beautiful of the sons of men, the Redeemer of mankind, the only-begotten Son of God. The best preparation that we can make for Christmas is to unite our sentiments with those of our heavenly Mother.
"Drop down dew from above, ye heavens, and let the clouds rain the Just One! Let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior!" (Isa. 45:8)
"O Lord, how wonderful Thou art everywhere in the world! Thou hast made for Thyself a worthy dwelling-place in the Virgin Mary!"
Glory be to the Father…
"Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel." (Isa. 7:14)
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus. (Luke 1:30) Hail Mary…
"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. But Mary said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word." (Luke 1:35) Hail Mary…
O holy and Immaculate Virgin, how shall I praise thee as I ought? Thou hast borne in thy womb Him Whom Heaven could not contain. Blessed and worthy of veneration art thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst become the Mother of the Savior while remaining a Virgin. Hail Mary...
Mary speaks:
"I sleep and my heart watches... I to my Beloved, and my Beloved to me, Who feeds among the lilies." (Cant. 6:2)
Let us Pray:
Grant, we pray Thee, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the old yoke of sin, may be freed by the new Birth of Thine only-begotten Son for which we long, Who livest and reignest forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
HYMN: Alma Redemptoris Mater
Mother of Christ, hear thou thy people's cry,
Star of the deep and portal of the sky.
Mother of Him Who thee from nothing made,
Sinking, we strive, and call to thee for aid.
Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin, first and last, let us thy mercy see.
Let us Pray:
O God, Who didst will that Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Mary at the message of an angel, grant to us, Thy humble servants, that we who truly believe Her to be the Mother of God may be helped by Her intercession with Thee. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Novena in Honor of
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
Novena: December 13-21; Feast: December 22
V. O God, come to my assistance!
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who obtained the reward of the glory of Heaven through thy virtuous life, hear the prayer which I confidently present to thee, and through thy merits render it acceptable to God.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who experienced sorrow and bitterness, look favorably upon me who in this hour of need have confident recourse to thee.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, thou who didst have filial confidence in God Almighty in all thy necessities, intercede for me and obtain the grace I so ardently desire.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, thou who didst say with the Apostle: "I can do all things in Him Who strengthens me", now that thou dost live gloriously with Jesus thy heavenly Spouse, implore from Him the grace I desire.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who was enriched by the Holy Ghost with many celestial gifts, obtain also for me a consoling spirit from the Divine Comforter.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who was a guide and teacher for many wayward souls, obtain for me an unshakable faith that obtains from God the graces necessary for my salvation.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who aided the immigrants of this earth as a most tender Mother, extend over me thy compassionate protection.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who aided the sick with goodness, look mercifully upon my sufferings and promptly obtain the grace which I confidently ask, if it be in accord with God's holy will.
Glory be to the Father...
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who traversed the earth to anoint others with inexhaustible charity, extend thy help also to me by hearing the prayer which I devoutly entrust to thy heart.
Glory be to the Father...
V. Pray for us, O Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini;
R. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
Prayer to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini:
O Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who found in the Divine Heart of Jesus the secret of sanctity and the strength to carry His message to many nations, look kindly upon me and hear my prayer.
Inspired by Christ's charity, thou didst go about helping many in their spiritual and temporal needs; from the glory of Heaven, where thy charity is not lessened nor thy power weakened, grant my petition and obtain for me the grace I so urgently desire, if it be in accord with God's holy will. (mention your requests.)
From the Sacred Heart of Jesus, obtain that His Kingdom may be established among the nations of this world, now divided by hatred and dissentions; secure peace among nations, conversion of sinners, health to the sick, alleviation for the victims of war, deliverance of the souls in Purgatory, and salvation for the human race, redeemed by Christ our Savior. Amen.
Novena Prayer:
Almighty and Eternal Father, Giver of all gifts, show us Thy mercy, and grant, we beseech Thee, through the merits of Thy faithful servant, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, that all who invoke her intercession may obtain what they desire, according to the good pleasure of Thy Holy Will... (here mention your requests).
O Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, mindful of Thy bountiful goodness and love, deign, we implore Thee, through the tender devotion of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini for Thy Sacred Heart, to hear our prayers and grant our petitions as they are in accord with the Will of our Heavenly Father.
O God, the Holy Ghost, Comforter of the afflicted, Fountain of Light and Truth, through the ardent zeal of Thy humble handmaid, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, grant us Thy all-powerful aid in our necessities, sanctify our souls and fill our minds with Divine Light that we may see the Holy Will of God in all things.
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, beloved spouse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, intercede for us that the favor we now ask may be granted, as it accords with the holy will of God.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Prayer for the Needs
of Holy Mother Church:
Dear Mother Frances Cabrini, thou who were most blessed by our Heavenly Father in founding so many institutions to serve the needs of Holy Mother Church, for the spread of the True Faith and the salvation of souls; hear now the pleas of the remnant Catholic faithful, and implore the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to provide for the present urgent needs of the Church, with the buildings and facilities so desperately needed to serve the needs of the Catholic clergy and the remnant faithful.
Thou knowest well, O dearest little saint, our fervent desire to always remain dependent, like thee, in the spirit of true slaves of Mary, upon the bounty of Divine Providence, without ever falling into the wicked and fatal errors of materialism and worldliness. Thus we implore thee to preserve us always from the sad fate of those prideful apostates from the remnant Church, who have severed themselves from their lawful Shepherd; whose imposing churches and buildings are now desolate and devoid of grace and Faith and salvation-in which the work of Satan is now wrought. Rather, teach us, O holy Mother Cabrini, to recognize that "the Bishop is in the Church, and the Church is in the Bishop,"‡ and that without Christ's authority, no mere building will suffice for the genuine reign of Jesus and Mary in our hearts. Teach us then, to despise all that would lead us away from the Shepherd of our souls, that we may thus desire only that which is truly for the greater honor and glory of God, and the salvation of souls.
In that spirit, therefore, we beseech thee, most blessed Saint, to obtain for our Community, through thy intercession before the thrones of Jesus and Mary, the property and facilities which we truly need, if such be in accord with God's Holy Will. Thereafter, inspire the Catholic faithful and our benefactors with such great generosity as to enable us to pay for these badly needed facilities without difficulty.
We ask this of Thee, most gracious Heavenly Father, in the Holy Name of Jesus, as the humble and unworthy slaves of His Immaculate Mother. Amen.
NOVENA IN PREPARATION FOR THE FEAST OF
THE NATIVITY OF OUR DIVINE SAVIOR
December 16-24
HYMN: Come, Holy Ghost...
V. Drop down dew from above, ye heavens, and let the clouds rain the Just One; let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior. (Isa. 14:8)
R. Come let us adore our Lord and King Who is about to come to us!
First, Fourth, & Seventh Day:
Dec. 16, 19, 22
V. Rejoice, O daughter of Sion, and be jubilantly glad, O daughter of Israel. Behold, thy Lord comes, and in His day a great light shall arise; the mountains shall drop down sweetness and the hills shall flow with milk and honey, for the Great Prophet shall come, and He shall renew Jerusalem. (Roman Breviary)
R. Come, let us adore Our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!
V. Behold, thy God comes, the Man of the House of David, to sit upon the throne; and you shall see and your heart shall rejoice.
R. Come let us adore Our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!
V. Behold, the Lord, our Protector, comes, the Holy One of Israel, having on His head the regal crown, and He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (Apoc. 14:14; Ps. 72:8)
R. Come let us adore Our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!
Second, Fifth, & Eighth Day:
Dec. 17, 20, 23
V. Behold, the Lord comes, and He will not lie; should He tarry, await Him for He shall assuredly come and shall not delay. (Rom. Brev.)
R. Come let us adore Our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!
V. The Lord shall come down as rain upon the fleece, and in His day shall justice spring up and abundance of peace; and all the kings of the earth shall adore Him, all nations serve Him.
R. Come let us adore our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!
Third, Sixth, & Ninth Day:
Dec. 18, 21, 24
V. A Child is born to us, and He shall be called the Mighty God; He shall sit upon the throne of David, His Father, and shall rule; for the government is upon His shoulders. (Isa. 9:6)
R. Come let us adore Our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!
V. Bethlehem, city of the most high God, out of thee shall go forth the Ruler of Israel, and His proceeding is from the beginning, even from the days of eternity, and peace shall hold sway in the day of His Coming.
R. Come let us adore Our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us!
Daily Hymn -- "En Clara Vox Redarguit":
Hark, a joyful voice is thrilling, and each dim and winding way
Of the ancient temple filling, dreams depart, for it is day.
Christ is coming; from thy bed, earthbound soul, awake and spring;
With the sun new-risen to shed health on human suffering.
Lo, to grant a pardon free, comes a willing Lamb from Heaven;
Sad and tearful, hasten we, one and all, to be forgiven.
Once again He comes in light girding earth with fear and woe;
Lord, be Thou our loving might, from our guilt and ghostly foe.
To the Father and the Son, and the Spirit, Who in Heaven
Ever witness, Three in One, praise on earth be ever given. Amen.
V. Our forerunner Jesus, the Lamb undefiled, has entered the Holy of Holies for us, having become a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech... He is King of Justice... having neither beginning of days nor end of life. (Heb. 6:20)
First, Fourth, & Seventh Day:
Dec. 16, 19, 22
R. Behold, the King will come, the Lord of the earth, and He will take away the yoke of our captivity.
V. O Wisdom, Who didst proceed from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end, and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: Come and teach us the way of prudence!
R. O Adonai, and Leader of the House of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and didst give him the Law on Sinai: come and redeem us with an outstretched arm!
Second, Fifth, & Eighth Day:
Dec. 17, 20, 23
R. O Root of Jesse, Who standest for an ensign of the people, before Whom kings shall keep silence, and unto Whom the nations shall make their supplication: come to deliver us, and do not tarry!
V. O Key of David and Scepter of the House of Israel, Who when Thou openest, no man can shut, and when Thou shuttest, no man can open; come and deliver the captive from his prison, for he sits in darkness and in the shadow of death!
R. O Dawn of the East, Brightness of Light Eternal, Sun of Justice, come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!
Third, Sixth, & Ninth Day:
Dec. 18, 21, 24
R. O King of the nations, and their Desired One, Thou Cornerstone that makest both one, come and free man, whom Thou hast formed from the dust of the earth!
V. O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior, come to save us, O Lord, our God!
R. When the sun shall have risen from Heaven, you shall see the King of kings proceeding from the Father, as a bridegroom out of his bridal chamber (Rom. Brev.)
Canticle:
V. Give praise, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth and mountains; give praise with jubilation.
R. The mountains shall break forth in gladness and the hills in justice.
V. For the Lord will come and will have mercy on the poor.
R. Drop down dew from above, ye heavens, and let the clouds rain the Just One; let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior.V. Remember us, O Lord, and visit us with Thy salvation. Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy, and grant us Thy salvation.
R. Send us, O Lord, the Lamb, the Ruler of the earth, from the rock of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Sion.V. Come to save us, O Lord, God of hosts; show us Thy countenance and we shall be saved.
R. Come, O Lord, visit us in Thy peace, that we may rejoice before Thee with a perfect heart.V. That we may know, O God, Thy way upon earth; Thy salvation in all nations.
R. Arouse Thy might, O Lord, and come to save us.V. Come, O Lord, and do not delay; undo the transgressions of Thy people!
R. Oh, that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down.
V. The mountains would melt away at Thy Presence.
R. Come and show us Thy countenance, O Lord, Who reignest over the Cherubim.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
Let us Pray:
O God, Who dost gladden us by the yearly expectation of our Redemption, grant that we who receive Thine only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may also, without fear, behold Him coming as our Judge, the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel orother Advent Hymn
Blessing of the Christmas Tree
on Christmas Eve
The Father of the Family: "The Christmas tree represents the Tree of Life in the Garden of Paradise. But that tree was but a figure of the true Tree of Life which it foreshadowed--the Tree of the Cross upon which Our Lord Jesus Christ Redeemed us by His Death, and obtained for us the life of supernatural grace. Thus, our Christmas tree is also a symbol of Christ Himself, Who hung upon the Cross for love of us. The ornaments and decorations which we place upon the tree represent our acts of love, prayer, and sacrifice, by which our souls are adorned with the beauties of Divine Grace, merited for us by Our Divine Lord upon the Cross. The bright lights shining upon the tree represent Christ as the Light and Life of the whole world. Finally, the gleaming star on top of the tree is a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, guiding the Three Holy Kings to the stable cave. This radiant star is also a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who as the Mother given to us from the Cross--the Tree of Life--by our Savior Himself, guides weary mankind to the foot of the manger, wherein lies her Divine Son, the Light of the World, and the Lord and Savior of all mankind."
The undecorated tree is placed upon a stand, and sprinkled with Holy Water. While the tree is being decorated, Christmas carols are sung or played. After the Christmas Tree has been decorated, the following prayers are said.
Father: Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
All: Who hath made Heaven and Earth.
All: Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice before the Face of the Lord, because He cometh: because He cometh to judge the earth.
Psalm 95
V. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: sing to the Lord, all the earth.
R. Sing ye to the Lord and bless His Name; show forth His salvation from day to day.V. Declare His glory among the Gentiles: His wonders among all people.
R. For the Lord is great, and exceedingly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.V. For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils; but the Lord made the heavens.
R. Praise and beauty are before Him: holiness and majesty in His sanctuary.V. Bring ye to the Lord, O ye kindred of the Gentiles, bring ye to the Lord glory and honor: bring to the Lord glory unto His Name.
R. Bring up sacrifices, and come into His courts: adore ye the Lord in His holy court.V. Let all the earth be moved at His Presence. Say ye among the Gentiles, the Lord hath reigned.
R. For He hath corrected the world, which shall not be moved: He will judge the people with justice.V. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea be moved, and the fullness thereof: the fields and all things that are in them shall be joyful.
R. Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice before the Face of the Lord, because He cometh: because He cometh to judge the earth.V. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with His truth.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
All: Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice before the Face of the Lord, because He cometh: because He cometh to judge the earth.
Lesson: Ezechiel 17:22-24. Thus saith the Lord God: I Myself will take of the marrow of the high cedar and will set it: I will crop off a tender limb from the top of the branches thereof, and I will plant it on a mountain high and eminent. On the high mountains of Israel will I plant it, and it shall shoot forth into branches and bear fruit, and it shall become a great cedar: and all birds shall dwell under it, and every fowl shall make its nest under the shadow of the branches thereof. And all the trees of the country shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, and exalted the low tree: and have dried up the green tree, and have caused the dry tree to flourish. I the Lord have spoken and have done it.
R. Deo Gratias.
Let us Pray:
Holy Lord, Father Almighty Eternal God, Who hast caused Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be planted like a Tree of Life in Thy Church by being born of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, bless, we beseech Thee, this tree, that all who see it may be filled with a holy desire to be engrafted as living branches into the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
As the Father sprinkles the decorated tree with holy water, he says:
Almighty God, we beseech Thee to bless this Tree, which we have adorned with lights to honor the Birth of Thy only-begotten Son, Christ, the Light of the World.
All: O beautiful and radiant tree, adorned with the Purple of the King, and chosen as the worthy trunk that was to touch limbs so holy. O blessed Tree, upon whose outstretched arms hung the Ransom of the world; it was made the support of the Sacred Body of Our Divine Lord, and thereby snatched away the expected prey of Hell.
V. Christ is the Tree of Eternal Life,
R. In the midst of the Garden of Paradise.V. He is the Tree,
R. As we are the branches.V. In Him is Life;
R.And the Life is the Light of men.V. The Lord be with us.
R. Now and forever. Amen.Let us Pray:
Bless, we beseech Thee, O holy God, Father Almighty, this noble Tree, which we have adorned in honor of the new Birth of Thine only-begotten Son, and do Thou so adorn our souls with the manifold beauties of Thy grace, that being spiritually enlightened by the splendor radiating from this Tree, we may, like the Three Holy Kings, come to adore Him Who is Eternal Light and Beauty, the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
At this time, or after returning from Midnight Mass, the Procession of the Infant Jesus
is made to the family Nativity scene, and His figure is placed in the manger,
to the accompaniment of appropriate Christmas hymns.
Blessing of the Christmas Crib for the Infant Jesus
Bless, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, this crib + which we have prepared in honor of the new Birth in the flesh of Thine Only-Begotten Son, that all who devoutly contemplate, in this image, the Mystery of His Incarnation, may be filled with the light of His glory. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
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