The St. Dymphna Novena is a novena venerating St. Dymphna as the patron saint of those suffering from mental and emotional distress. This association arose because of the circumstances of her own life, including her mother’s death and her father’s mental illness, as well as the violent end to her own life.
O God, we humbly beseech You through Your servant, St. Dymphna, who sealed with her blood the love she bore You, to grant relief to those who suffer from mental afflictions and nervous disorders, especially…
(Mention your request here…).
You graciously chose St. Dymphna as patroness of those afflicted with mental and emotional illnesses. She is an inspiration and a symbol of charity to all who ask for her intercession.
Grant through the prayers of this pure youthful martyr consolation and healing to all who suffer such trials. We beg you, Lord, to hear the prayers of St. Dymphna on our behalf. Grant us patience in suffering and acceptance of Your Divine Will. Fill our hearts with hope, and grant us the relief and strength we so much desire. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
St. Dymphna, helper of the mentally afflicted, pray for us.
St. Anthony is known as the “Saint of Miracles” and “Wonder Worker” on account of the many miracles God has favored him with. The “Novena to St Anthony” is commonly prayed for nine consecutive Tuesdays or for nine consecutive days for a special intention.
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 1 O holy St. Anthony, gentlest of saints, your love for God and charity for his creatures made you worthy while on earth to possess miraculous powers. Miracles waited your word, which you were ever ready to speak for those in trouble or anxiety. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me the favor I seek in this novena. (State your intention).
The answer to my prayer may require a miracle; even so, you are the saint of miracles. O gentle and loving Saint Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms, and the gratitude of my heart will always be yours.
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 2 [Click for prayer video] O miracle-working St. Anthony, remember that it never has been heard that you left without help or relief anyone who in his need had recourse to you. Animated now with the most lively confidence, even with full conviction of not being refused, I fly for refuge to thee, O most favored friend of the Infant Jesus. O eloquent preacher of the divine mercy, despise not my supplications but, bringing them before the throne of God, strengthen them by your intercession and obtain for me the favor I seek in this novena. (State your intention) .
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 3 [Click for prayer video] O purest St. Anthony, who through your angelic virtue was made worthy to be caressed by the Divine Child Jesus, to hold him in your arms and press him to your heart. I entreat you to cast a benevolent glance upon me. O glorious St. Anthony, born under the protection of Mary Immaculate, on the Feast of her Assumption into Heaven, and consecrated to her and now so powerful an intercessor in Heaven, I beseech you to obtain for me the favor I ask in this novena. (State your intention). O great wonder-worker, intercede for me that God may grant my request.
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 4 [Click for prayer video] I salute and honor you, O powerful helper, St. Anthony. The Christian world confidently turns to you and experiences your tender compassion and powerful assistance in so many necessities and sufferings that I am encouraged in my need to seek your help in obtaining a favorable answer to my request for the favor I seek in this novena. (State your intention). O holy St. Anthony, I beseech you, obtain for me the grace that I desire.
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 5 [Click for prayer video] I salute you, St. Anthony, lily of purity, ornament and glory of Christianity. I salute you, great Saint, cherub of wisdom and seraph of divine love. I rejoice at the favors our Lord has so liberally bestowed upon you. In humility and confidence I entreat you to help me, for I know that God has given you charity and pity, as well as power. I ask you by the love you did feel toward the Infant Jesus as you held him in your arms to tell Him now of the favor I seek through your intercession in this novena. (State your intention).
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 6 [Click for prayer video] O glorious St. Anthony, chosen by God to preach his Word, you received from Him the gift of tongues and the power of working the most extraordinary miracles. O good St. Anthony, pray that I may fulfill the will of God in all things so that I may love Him, with you, for all eternity. O kind St. Anthony, I beseech you, obtain for me the grace that I desire, the favor I seek in this novena. (State your intention).
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 7 [Click for prayer video] O renowned champion of the faith of Christ, most holy St. Anthony, glorious for your many miracles, obtain for me from the bounty of my Lord and God the grace which I ardently seek in this novena. (State your intention). O holy St. Anthony, ever attentive to those who invoke you, grant me that aid of your powerful intercession.
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 8 [Click for prayer video] O holy St. Anthony, you have shown yourself so powerful in your intercession, so tender and so compassionate towards those who honor you and invoke you in suffering and distress. I beseech you most humbly and earnestly to take me under your protection in my present necessities and to obtain for me the favor I desire. (State your intention). Recommend my request to the merciful Queen of Heaven, that she may plead my cause with you before the throne of her Divine Son.
Novena to St. Anthony – Day 9 [Click for prayer video] Saint Anthony, servant of Mary, glory of the Church, pray for our Holy Father, our bishops, our priests, our Religious Orders, that, through their pious zeal and apostolic labors, all may be united in faith and give greater glory to God. St. Anthony, helper of all who invoke you, pray for me and intercede for me before the throne of Almighty God that I be granted the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena. (State your intention).
May the divine assistance remain always with us. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Let Us Pray… O God, may the votive commemoration of blessed Anthony, your confessor, be a source of joy to your Church; that she may always be fortified with spiritual assistance, and deserve to enjoy eternal rewards. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a revered title of the Virgin Mary. She is a source of maternal care and love; bringing comfort, intercession, and hope for those who turn to her in times of distress. Many seek her assistance and find solace in her perpetual help and guidance.
Dear Mother of Perpetual Help, from the Cross, Jesus gave you to us as our mother. You are the kindest, the most loving of all mothers. Look tenderly on us, your children, as we now ask you to help us in all our needs, especially this one . . .
(mention your petition).
While you were on earth, dear Mother, you willingly shared in the sufferings of your Son. Strengthened by your faith and confidence in the fatherly love of God, you accepted the mysterious designs of His Will.
We, too, have our crosses and trials. Sometimes they almost crush us to the ground. Dearest Mother, share with us your abundant faith and confidence in God. Make us aware that God never ceases to love us; that He answers all our prayers in the way that is best for us.
Strengthen our hearts to carry the cross in the footsteps of your Divine Son. Help us to realize that he who shares the cross of Christ will certainly share in His Resurrection.
Dearest Mother, as we worry about our own problems, let us not forget the needs of others. While praying for our own intentions, and for the intentions of all who make your novena, we earnestly ask you, our mother, to help us comfort the sick and the dying, give hope to the poor and the unemployed, heal the broken-hearted, lighten the burden of the oppressed, teach justice to their oppressors and bring back to God all those who have offended Him. Dearest Mother, help us to avoid sin, which separates us from our Heavenly Father. Full of trust in you, we place ourselves under the mantle of your maternal protection and confidently hope for your powerful help. Amen.
The Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a nine-day period of prayer and devotion dedicated to seeking the intercession and guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The Virgin Mary appeared to Simon Stock on July 16, 1251 and presented him with the Brown Scapular, a small piece of cloth worn over the shoulders. She promised that those who faithfully wore the scapular and lived a life of devotion would receive her special protection and intercession.
O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, splendor of heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God and Mother of mine, support me by your never failing love and help and protect me. Show me that you are my Mother.
May I, unworthy as I am, come one day to exchange your scapular that I had the privilege to wear for the wedding garment of heaven, and dwell with you and all the saints of Carmel in the kingdom of your Son.
(Here make your petition: Let us also pray for those preparing to make their vows.)
Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your loving hands.
O Mary, my Mother, I consecrate myself to you forever. I offer you my body with all its miseries, my soul with all its imperfections, and my heart with all its affections and desires. I offer you all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings, my struggles and especially my death with all that it will entail. I unite all of these, Mother, with your own joys and sufferings. Amen.
The “Novena to Christ The King“ is a recommended prayer devotion to be prayed daily during the nine-day period leading up to the Feast of Christ The King. This novena, which honors Jesus Christ as the King of the Universe, and implores His mercy upon sinners from His Just Judgement, is a devotion that can be made during any time of the year.
Almighty and merciful God, You break the power of evil and make all things new in Your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in Heaven and Earth acclaim Your glory and never cease to praise You.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[Pray the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be]
O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations. We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things. Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth.
Guard us, we pray, Most Faithful One. Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment. Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you. Jesus, You are a King of Mercy. We have deserved Your Just Judgment. Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. We trust in Your Great Mercy.
O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray; May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth. Amen.
The Holy Cloak Novena Prayer is considered one of the most effective novenas in the Church. Unlike most novenas, which are prayed for 9 days, the Holy Cloak Novena is prayed for 30 days in honor of the thirty years St Joseph spent with Jesus during his life on Earth. The cloak of St. Joseph is a source of shelter and protection for those who honor St Joseph as a spiritual father and protector.
O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, you who were chosen by God above all men to be the earthly head of the most holy of families, I beseech you to accept me within the folds of thy holy cloak, that you may become the guardian and custodian of my soul.
From this moment on, I choose you as my father, my protector, my counselor, my patron and I beseech you to place in your custody my body, my soul, all that I am, all that I possess, my life and my death. Look upon me as one of your children; defend me from the treachery of my enemies, invisible or otherwise, assist me at all times in all my necessities; console me in the bitterness of my life, and especially at the hour of my death. Say but one word for me to the Divine Redeemer Whom you were deemed worthy to hold in your arms, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, your most chaste spouse. Request for me those blessings which will lead me to salvation. Include me among those who are most dear to you and I shall set forth to prove myself worthy of your special patronage. Amen.
This beloved “Christmas Novena”, composed by St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Doctor of the Church and founder of the Redemptorists, offers a profound spiritual preparation for celebrating Our Lord’s birth. Through nine days of heartfelt meditations and prayers, the faithful accompany the Holy Family on their journey to Bethlehem, contemplating the mystery of God becoming man for our salvation.
St. Alphonsus wrote: “The sight of an infant naturally draws us to love it; therefore God willed to be born as an infant to attract our love.” This novena helps us approach the Divine Child not with fear, but with tender affection, seeing in the manger the greatest proof of God’s love for humanity.
Meditation Because our first parent Adam had rebelled against God, he was driven out of paradise and brought on himself and all his descendants the punishment of eternal death. But the son of God, seeing man thus lost and wishing to save him from death, offered to take upon Himself our human nature and to suffer death Himself, condemned as a criminal on a cross. ‘But, My Son,’ we may imagine the eternal Father saying to Him, ‘think of what a life of humiliations and sufferings Thou wilt have to lead on earth. Thou wilt have to be born in a cold stable and laid in a manger, the feeding trough of beasts.
While still an infant, Thou wilt have to flee into Egypt, to escape the hands of Herod. After Thy return from Egypt, Thou wilt have to live and work in a shop as a lowly servant, poor and despised. And finally, worn out with sufferings, Thou wilt have to give up Thy life on a cross, put to shame and abandoned by everyone.’ ‘Father,’ replies the Son, ‘all this matters not. I will gladly bear it all, if only I can save man.’
What should we say if a prince, out of compassion for a dead worm, were to choose to become a worm himself and give his own life blood in order to restore the worm to life? But the eternal Word has done infinitely more than this for us. Though He is the sovereign Lord of the world, He chose to become like us, who are immeasurably more beneath Him than a worm is beneath a prince, and He was willing to die for us, in order to win back for us the life of divine grace that we had lost by sin. When He saw that all the other gifts which He had bestowed on us were not sufficient to induce us to pray His love with love, He became man Himself and gave Himself all to us. ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us;’ ‘He loved us and delivered Himself up for us.’
Prayer O Great Son of God, Thou hast become man in order to make Thyself loved by men. But where is the love that men give Thee in return?
Thou hast given Thy life blood to save our souls. Why then are we so unappreciative that, instead of repaying Thee with love, we spurn Thee with ingratitude? And I, Lord, I myself more than others have thus ill treated Thee. But Thy Passion is my hope. For the sake of that love which led Thee to take upon Thyself human nature and to die for me on the cross, forgive me all the offenses I have committed against Thee. I love Thee, O Word Incarnate; I love Thee, O infinite goodness. Out of love for Thee, that I could die of grief for these offenses. Give me, O Jesus, Thy love. Let me no longer live in ungrateful forgetfulness of the love Thou bearest me. I wish to love Thee always. Grant that I may always preserve in this holy desire.
O Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, pray for me that thy Son may give me the grace to love Him always, unto death. Amen.
Day 2 – December 17th God’s Love Revealed In His Being Born An Infant
Meditation When the Son of God became man for our sake, He could have come on earth as an adult man from the first moment of of His human existence, as Adam did when he was created. But since the sight of little children draws us with an especial attraction to love them, Jesus chose to make His first appearance on earth as a little infant, and indeed as the poorest and most pitiful infant that was ever born. ‘God wished to be born as a little babe,’ wrote Saint Peter Chrysologus, ‘in order that He might teach us to love and not to fear Him.’ The prophet Isaias had long before foretold that the Son of God was to be born as an infant and thus give Himself to us on account of the love He bore us: ‘A child is born to us, a son is given to us.’
My Jesus, supreme and true God! What has drawn Thee from heaven to be born in a cold stable, if not the love which Thou bearest us men? What has allured Thee from the bosom of Thy Father, to place Thee in a hard manger? What has brought Thee from Thy throne above the stars, to lay Thee down on a little straw? What has led Thee from the midst of the nine choirs of angels, to set Thee between two animals? Thou, who inflamest the seraphim with holy fire, art now shivering with cold in this stable! Thou, who settest the stars in the sky in motion, canst not now move unless others carry Thee in their arms! Thou, who givest men and beasts their food, has need now a little milk to sustain Thy life! Thou, who art the joy of heaven, dost now whimper and cry in suffering! Tell me, who has reduced Thee to such misery? ‘Love has done it,’ says Saint Bernard. The love which Thou bearest us men has brought all this on Thee.
Prayer O Dearest Infant! Tell me, what hast Thou come on earth to do? Tell me, whom art Thou seeking? Yes, I already know. Thou has come to die for me, in order to save me from hell. Thou hast come to seek me, the lost sheep, so that, instead of fleeing from Thee any more, I may rest in Thy loving arms.
Ah my Jesus, my treasure, my life, my love and my all! Whom will I love, if not Thee? Where can I find a father, a friend, a spouse more loving and lovable than Thou art? I love Thee, my dear God; I love Thee, my only good. I regret the many years when I have not loved Thee, but rather spurned and offended Thee. Forgive me, O my beloved Redeemer; for I am sorry that I have thus treated Thee, and I regret it with all my heart. Pardon me, and give me the grace never more to withdraw from Thee, but constantly to love Thee in all the years that still lie before me in this life. My love, I give myself entirely to Thee; accept me, and do not reject me as I deserve. O Mary, thou art my advocate. By thy prayers thou dost obtain whatever thou wilt from thy Son. Pray Him then to forgive me, and to grant me holy perseverance until death. Amen.
Day 3 – December 18th The Life of Poverty which Jesus Led From His Birth
Meditation God so ordained that, at the time when His Son was to be born on this earth, the Roman emperor should issue a decree ordering everyone to go to the place of his origin and there be registered in the census. Thus it came about that, in obedience to this decree, Joseph went to Bethlehem together with his virgin wife when she was soon to have her Child.
Finding no lodging either in the poor inn or in the other houses of the town, they were forced to spend the night in a cave that was used as a stable for animals, and it was here that Mary gave birth to the King of heaven. If Jesus had been born in Nazareth, He would also, it is true, have been born in poverty; but there He would at least have had a dry room, a little fire, warm clothes and a more comfortable cradle. Yet He chose to be born in this cold, damp cave, and to have a manger for a cradle, with prickly straw for a mattress, in order that He might suffer for us.
Let us enter in spirit into this cave of Bethlehem, but let us enter in a spirit of lively faith. If we go there without faith, we shall see nothing but a poor infant, and the sight of this lovely child shivering and crying on his rough bed of straw may indeed move us to pity. But if we enter with faith and consider that this Babe is the very Son, God, who for love of us has come down on earth and suffers so much to pay the penalty for our sins, how can we help thanking and loving Him in return? Prayer O Dear Infant Jesus, how could I be so ungrateful and offend Thee so often, if I realized how much Thou hast suffered for me? But these tears which Thou sheddest, this poverty which Thou embracest for love of me, make me hope for the pardon of all the offenses I have committed against Thee.
My Jesus, I am sorry for having so often turned my back on Thee. But now I love Thee above all else. ‘My God and my all!’ From now on Thou, O my God, shalt be my only treasure and my only good. With Saint Ignatius of Loyola I will say to Thee, ‘Give me the grace to love Thee; that is enough for me.’ I long for nothing else; I want nothing else. Thou alone art enough for me, my Jesus, my life, my love.
O Mary, my Mother, obtain for me the grace that I may always love Jesus and always be loved by Him. Amen.
Day 4 – December 19th The Life of Humiliation which Jesus Led from His Birth
Meditation The Sign which the angel gave the shepherds to help them find the newborn Savior, points to His lowliness: ‘This shall be a sign to you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ No other newborn baby who was wrapped in poor swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, could be found anywhere else but in a stable. Thus in lowliness the King of heaven, the Son of God, chose to be born, because He came to destroy the pride that had been the cause of man’s ruin.
The prophets had already foretold that our Redeemer was to be treated as the vilest of men on earth and that He was to be overwhelmed with insults. How much contempt had not Jesus indeed to suffer from men! He was called a drunkard, a trickster, a blasphemer and a heretic. What ignominies He endured in His Passion! His own disciples abandoned Him; one of them sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, and another denied having ever known Him. He was led in bonds through the streets like a criminal; He was scourged like a slave, ridiculed as a fool, crowned with thorns as a mock king, buffeted and spit upon, and finally left to die, hanging on a cross between two thieves, as the worst criminal in the world. ‘The noblest of all,’ says Saint Bernard, ‘is treated as the vilest of all.’ But the Saint adds, ‘The viler Thou are treated, the dearer Thou art to me.’ The more I see Thee, my Jesus, despised and put to shame, the more dear and worthy of my love dost Thou become to me.
Prayer O Dearest Savior, Thou hast embraced so many outrages for love of me, yet I have not been able to bear one word of insult without at once being filled with resentful thought, I who have so often deserved to be trodden under foot by the demons in hell! I am ashamed to appear before Thee, sinful and proud as I am. Yet do not drive me from Thy presence, O Lord, even though that is what I deserve. Thou hast said that Thou wilt not spurn a contrite and humbled heart. I am sorry for the offenses I have committed against Thee. Forgive me, O Jesus. I will not offend Thee again. For love of me Thou hast borne so many injuries; for love of Thee I will bear all the injuries that are done to me. I love Thee, Jesus, who was despised for love of me. I love Thee above every other good. Give me the grace to love Thee always and to bear every insult for love of Thee. O Mary, recommend me to Thy Son; pray to Jesus for me. Amen.
Meditation Jesus Christ could have saved mankind without suffering and dying. Yet, in order to prove to us how much He loved us, He chose for Himself a life full of tribulations. Therefore the prophet Isaias called Him ‘a man of sorrows,’ His whole life was filled with suffering. His Passion began, not merely a few hours before His death, but from the the first moment of His birth. He was born in a stable where everything served to torment Him. His sense of sight was hurt by seeing nothing but the rough, black walls of the cave; His sense of smell was hurt by the stench of the dung from the beasts in the stable; His sense of touch was hurt by the prickling straw on which He lay. Shortly after His birth He was forced to flee into Egypt, where He spent several years of His childhood in poverty and misery. His boyhood and early manhood in Nazareth were passed in hard work and obscurity. And finally, in Jerusalem, He died on a cross, exhausted with pain and anguish.
Thus, then, was the life of Jesus but one unbroken series of sufferings, which were doubly painful because He had ever before His eyes all the sufferings He would have to endure till His death. Yet, since our Lord had voluntarily chosen to bear these tribulations for our sake, they did not afflict Him as much as did the sight of our sins, by which we have so ungratefully repaid Him for His love towards us. When the confessor of Saint Margaret of Cortona saw that she never seemed satisfied with all the tears she had already shed for her past sins, he said to her, ‘Margaret, stop crying and cease your lamenting, for God has surely forgiven you your offenses against Him.’ But she replied, ‘Father, how can I cease to weep, since I know that my sins kept my Lord Jesus in pain and suffering during all His life?’
Prayer O Jesus, my sweet Love! I too have kept Thee suffering through all Thy life. Tell me, then, what I must do in order to win Thy forgiveness. I am ready to do all Thou askest of me. I am sorry, O sovereign Good, for all the offenses I have committed against Thee. I love Thee more than myself, or a least I feel a great desire to love Thee. Since it is Thou who hast given me this desire, do Thou also give me the strength to love Thee exceedingly.
It is only right that I, who have offended Thee so much, should love Thee very much. Always remind me of the love Thou hast borne me, in order that my soul may ever burn with love of Thee and long to please Thee alone. O God of love, I, who was once a slave of hell, now give myself all to Thee. Graciously accept me and bind me to Thee with the bonds of Thy love. My Jesus, from this day and forever in loving Thee will I live, and in loving Thee will I die.
O Mary, my Mother and my hope, help me to love Thy dear God and mine. This is the only favor I ask of thee, and through thee I hope to receive it. Amen.
Day 6 – December 21 God’s Mercy Revealed in His Coming down to Save Us
Meditation Saint Paul says, ‘The goodness and kindness of God, our Savior, has appeared.’ When the Son of God made Man appear on earth, then was it seen how great is God’s goodness towards us. Saint Bernard says that first God’s power was manifested in the creation of the world and His wisdom in its conservation, but His merciful goodness was especially manifested later in His taking human nature on Himself, in order to save fallen mankind by His sufferings and death. For what greater proof of His kindness towards us could the Son of God show us than in taking on Himself the punishment we had deserved?
See Him as a weak, newborn infant, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Unable to move or feed Himself, He has need of Mary to give Him a little milk to sustain His life. Or see Him again in Pilate’s courtyard, tied with fast bonds to a column and there scourged from head to foot. Behold Him on the way to Calvary, falling down from weakness under weight of the cross that He must carry. Finally behold Him nailed to this tree of shame, on which He breathes His last breath amid pain and anguish. Because Jesus Christ wished that His love for us should win all the love of our hearts for Himself, He would not send an angel to redeem us, but chose to come Himself, to save us by His Passion and death. Had an angel been our redeemer, men would have had to divide their hearts in loving God as their Creator and an angel as their redeemer; but God, who desires men’s whole hearts, as He was already their Creator, wished also to be their Redeemer.
Prayer O my Dear Redeemer! Where should I be now, if Thou hadst not borne with me so patiently, but hadst called me from life while I was in the state of sin? Since Thou hast waited for me till now, forgive me quickly, O my Jesus, before death finds me still guilty of so many offenses that I have committed against Thee. I am so sorry for having vilely despised Thee, my sovereign Good, that I could die of grief. But Thou canst not abandon a soul that seeks Thee.
If hitherto I have forsaken Thee, I now seek Thee and love Thee. Yes, my God, I love Thee above all else; I love Thee more than myself. Help me, Lord, to love Thee always during the rest of my life. Nothing else do I seek of Thee. But this I beg of Thee, this I hope to receive from Thee. Mary, my hope, do thou pray for me. If thou prayest for me, I am sure of grace. Amen.
Day 7 – December 22 Flight of the Child Jesus into Egypt
Meditation Although the Son of God came from heaven to save men, scarcely was He born when men began to persecute Him to death. Herod, fearing that this Child would deprive him of his kingdom, seeks to destroy his life. But St. Joseph is warned by an angel in a dream to take the Infant and His Mother and flee into Egypt. Joseph obeys at once, and tells Mary about it. He takes the few tools of his trade, that he may use them to gain a livelihood in Egypt for himself and his poor family. Mary wraps up a small bundle of clothes for the use of her little Son, and then, going to the crib, she says with tears in her eyes to her sleeping Child, ‘O my Son and my God! Thou hast come from heaven to save men; but hardly art Thou born when they seek to take Thy life.’ Lifting Him, meanwhile, in her arms and continuing to weep, she sets out that same night with Joseph on the road to Egypt.
Let us consider how much these holy wanderers must have suffered in making so long a journey, deprived of every comfort. The divine Child was not yet able to walk, and so Mary and Joseph had to take turns in carrying Him in their arms. During their journey through the desert towards Egypt they had to spend several nights in the open air, with the bare ground for their bed. The cold makes the Infant cry, and Mary and Joseph weep in pity for Him. And who would not weep at thus seeing the Son of God poor and persecuted, a fugitive on earth, that He might not be killed by His enemies!
Prayer Dear Infant Jesus, crying so bitterly! Well hast Thou reason to weep in seeing Thyself persecuted by men whom Thou lovest so much. I, too, O God, have once persecuted Thee by my sins. But Thou knowest that now I love Thee more than myself, and that nothing pains me more than the thought that I have so often spurned Thee, my sovereign Good.
Forgive me, O Jesus, and let me bear Thee in my heart in all the rest of the journey that I have still to make through life, so that together with Thee I may enter into eternity. So often have I driven Thee from my soul by my sins. But now I love Thee above all things, and I regret above other misfortunes that I have offended Thee. I wish to leave Thee no more, my beloved Lord. But do Thou give me the strength to resist temptations. Never permit me to be separated from Thee again. Let me rather die than ever again lose Thy good grace. O Mary, my hope, make me always live in God’s love and then die in loving Him. Amen.
Day 8 – December 23 The Life of the Child Jesus in Egypt and in Nazareth
Meditation Our Blessed Redeemer spent the first part of His childhood in Egypt, leading there for several years a life of poverty and humiliation. In that land Joseph and Mary were foreigners and strangers, having there neither relatives nor friends. Only with difficulty could they earn their daily bread by the labor of their hands. Their home was poor, their bed was poor, their food was poor. Here Mary weaned Jesus; dipping a piece of bread in water, she would put it in the sacred mouth of her Son. Here she made His first little garments and clothed Him with them. Here the Child Jesus took His first steps, stumbling and falling as other children first do. Here too He spoke His first words, but stammeringly. O wonder of wonders! To what has not God lowered Himself for love of us! A God stumbling and falling as He walks! A God stammering in His speech!
Not unlike this was the poor and humble life that Jesus led in Nazareth after His return from Egypt. There, until He was thirty years old, He lived as a simple servant or workman in a carpenter shop, taking orders from Joseph and Mary. ‘And He was subject to them.’ Jesus went to fetch the water; He opened and closed the shop; He swept the house, gathered the fragments of wood for the fire, and toiled all day long, helping Joseph in his work. Yet who is this? God Himself, serving as an apprentice! The omnipotent God, who with less than a flick of His finger created the whole universe, here sweating at the task of planning a piece of work! Should not the mere thought of this move us to love Him?
Prayer O Jesus, my Savior! When I consider how, for love of me, Thou didst spend thirty years of Thy life hidden and unknown in a poor workshop, how can I desire the pleasures and honors and riches of the world? Gladly do I renounce all these things, since I wish to be Thy companion on this earth, poor as Thou wast, mortified and humble as Thou wast, so that I may hope to be able one day to enjoy Thy companionship in heaven. What are all the treasures and kingdoms of this world? Thou, O Jesus, art my only treasure, my only Good!
I keenly regret the many times in the past when I spurned Thy friendship in order to satisfy my foolish whims. I am sorry for them with all my heart. For the future I would rather lose my life a thousand times than lose Thy grace by sin. I wish never to offend Thee again, but always to love Thee. Help me to remain faithful to Thee until death. O Mary, thou art the refuge of sinners, thou art my hope. Amen.
Day 9 – December 24 The Birth of Jesus in the Stable of Bethlehem
Meditation When the edict was issued by the emperor of Rome that everyone should go to his own city to be enrolled, Joseph and Mary went to be enrolled in Bethlehem. How much the Holy Virgin must have suffered on this journey of four days, over mountainous road and in the wintertime, with its cold rain and wind! When they arrived in Bethlehem, the time of Mary’s delivery was near. Joseph, therefore, sought some lodging where she might give birth to her Child. But because they were so poor, they were driven away from the houses and even from the public inn, where other poor people had found shelter.
So in that night they went a short way out of the town and there found a cave that was used as a stable, and here Mary entered. But Joseph said to his virgin wife, ‘Mary, how can you spend the night in this cold, damp cave and here give birth to your Child?’ Mary however replied, ‘Dear Joseph, this cave is the royal palace in which the King of kings, the Son of God, wishes to be born.’
When the hour of her delivery had arrived, the holy Virgin, as she knelt in prayer, all at once saw the cave illumined with a dazzling light. She lowered her eyes to the ground and there saw before her the Son of God now born on earth, a poor little Babe, crying and shivering in the cold. Adoring Him as her God, she took Him to her breast and fondled Him. Then she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and lad Him on the straw of the manger that stood in the cave. Thus did the Son of God choose to be born among us to prove His infinite love for us.
Prayer O Adorable Infant Jesus! I should not have the boldness to cast myself at Thy feet, if I did not know that Thou Thyself invitest me to draw near Thee. It is I who by my sins have made Thee shed so many tears in the stable of Bethlehem. But since Thou hast come on earth to pardon repentant sinners, forgive me also, now that I am heartily sorry for having spurned Thee, my Savior and my God, who art so good and who hast loved me so much.
On this night, in which Thou bestowest great graces on so many souls, grant Thy heavenly consolation to this poor soul of mine also. All that I ask of Thee is the grace to love Thee always, from this day forward, with all my heart. Set me all on fire with Thy holy love. I love Thee, O my God, who hast become a Babe for love of me. Never let me cease from loving Thee ever more.
O Mary, Mother of Jesus and my Mother, thou canst obtain everything from thy Son by thy prayers. This is the only favor I ask of Thee. Do thou pray to Jesus for me. Amen.
The Nicene Creed is a statement of the Catholic faith developed at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and revised at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. It outlines core Catholic beliefs about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the church.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and suffering of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sins, the reunion of all Christians; I offer them for the intentions of our Bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.
O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary (here kiss your Brown Scapular), I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with it the offering of my every thought, word and action of this day.
O my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them to the interests of Thy most Sacred Heart.
Precious Blood of Jesus, Save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, Save us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us!
