Christmas Novena Invitation
Join in our traditional Christmas Novena this December 16-24!
When the first monasteries of cloistered Dominican nuns were founded in America by nuns from France in the late 1800s, the founding Sisters brought this special Christmas novena with them. Like the contemplative rhythm of the Rosary, the repetition of verses in the middle of this novena prayer draws us ever more deeply into the age-old longing for the coming of our Savior.
Christmas is a time of great graces, as it celebrates God’s gift of His Only Son, Jesus Christ: “Will He not also give us everything else along with Him?” (Romans 8:32) As we look forward to beginning our Christmas Novena on December 16, we invite you to submit your intentions to be included in our prayers, and to pray the novena along with us if you desire.
Submit your intentions and sign up for reminder e-mails below. May Our Lady prepare our hearts to receive Jesus more ardently this Christmas!
-
Christmas Novena
Part I: December 16-24
Adorable Jesus, Who has willed to come forth from the Bosom of the Father to become Man like unto ourselves, in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, taking upon Thyself all our miseries, permit us to adore Thee as our God and our Judge. We implore the assistance of Thy great mercy and beseech Thee to come take birth in our hearts.
Receive, O Adorable Infant, the reparation we make Thee, for all our infidelities, the abuse of Thy graces, and all the obstacles we have put in the way of our perfection and our vocation.
Receive, also, the resolution we make with all our hearts, at the Feet of Thy Divine Majesty, to be more faithful for the future and to apply ourselves to imitate Thee, in Thy poor, humble and hidden life, that we may possess Thee for all eternity in Heaven. Amen.
V. And the Word was made Flesh.
R. And dwelt amongst us.V. Come, O Lord, and do not delay.
R. And renew the face of Israel, Thy people.V. O Jesus, have mercy on us.
R. O Mary, intercede for us.V. O Joseph, pray for us.
R. Now and at the hour of our death.(Repeat this set of verses nine times.)
Descend, O Celestial Dew. Come, O Son of God, that justice may abound in all our works and that we may enjoy an abundance of peace. Come, creatures of the earth, before our great King, and give Him the homage of your adoration.
What is man, O Infinite Majesty, that Thou art mindful of him or the son of man that Thou shouldst visit him? What may we do to thank Thee for all Thy benefits? Thou dost ask but our hearts. It is these Thou hast come to seek. Ah! Lord, we consecrate them to Thee, but with confusion, seeing them so full of miseries. Purify them, we beseech Thee, and render them worthy to serve Thee at Thy cradle, when Thou comest forth from the chaste womb of Thy most Holy Mother. This is the most ardent of our desires; and may we enjoy Thee for all eternity. Amen.
Part II: Additional Prayer for December 22, 23, and 24
Father of mercies, Who through Thy love for mankind hast been pleased to give us Thy only Son, we adore the Sacred Birth which He had in Thee from all eternity and we ask Thee through the same Birth, for the grace to receive Him in our hearts.
We adore Thee, O Divine Word, Who longest to take birth in our hearts, and to give Thyself to us with all the fulness of Thy graces. We ask Thee, with the greatest devotion, by those tears Thou didst shed at Thy Birth, to wash away the stains of our souls, that there may be nothing is us to place any obstacle to our happiness in receiving Thee.
Spirit of Love and of Light, Who didst adorn the soul of the Blessed Virgin when affecting within her the mystery of our Redemption, come and adorn our souls with purity and all those virtues which may make us worthy to receive her Divine Son.
Holy Virgin, we compassionate thee in the sorrow thou didst feel when thou couldst find no shelter in Bethlehem and when thou wert forced to give birth to thy Son in a stable. We beseech thee to obtain from thy Divine Son that our hearts may be purified by His grace to serve Him as a dwelling and a cradle. This is our greatest desire.
Great St. Joseph, who wert singularly privileged among all mankind to be the guardian and the custodian of Heaven’s greatest treasures, the faithful Spouse of the Mother of God, the father providing for Him Who created all things, we take thee for our protector and our advocate before our God and Savior so that after having been presented by thee, we may be received favorably by the God of Mercies at the hour of our death. Amen.
