Introduction
Christmas Novena
If the novena is led by a priest, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed.
Hymn (Optional)
(Sung to the melody of "Creator of the Starry Skies")
Behold a thrilling voice calls out
And chides the darkened shades of earth
Pale dreams are gone, dim shadows fly
Christ in his might now shines on high!
The Lamb of God is sent below
Himself to pay the debt we owe.
O for this gift let every voice
With songs and prayers to God rejoice.
The Blessed Author of our race
Took human form to bring us grace
Lest lost should be those whom he made,
And he with love our sin repaid.
And see! with heavenly grace instilled,
A Mother's loving heart is filled.
Behold a Virgin's body bears
The mystery of endless years!
The Mother makes her spotless breast
A temple for the child to rest.
This Virgin loved the Holy One
And she conceived the Eternal Son.
To him who comes the world to free,
To God the Son, all glory be,
To Father, Maker of us all
And Holy Spirit, God, we call.
Christmas Prophecies
Let the Heavens Be Glad
(Canticle or song-prayer)
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice,
O all you mountains praise the Lord.
Drop down dew from above you heavens,
And let the clouds rain the just one.
Let the earth be opened,
And bud forth the Savior!
Remember us, O Lord,
And visit us in your salvation.
Show your mercy to us, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
Send forth, O Lord, the Lamb, the ruler of the earth,
from the rock in the desert to the Mount of Sion.
Come to free us, O Lord God of hosts;
show your face and we shall be saved.
Come, O Lord, and visit us in peace,
so that we may rejoice before you with a perfect heart.
May we know on earth, O Lord, your way,
your salvation among all nations.
Put forth, O Lord, your strength,
and come to save us.
Come, O Lord, and do not hesitate;
pardon the sins of your people.
O that you would rend the heavens and come down,
the mountains would melt in your presence.
Come and show us your face, O Lord,
you who sit upon the cherubim.
"O Antiphons"
Note: In this edition we are using a poetic translation of the "O antiphons" from the original Latin.
- And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant--these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples (Is 56:6-7).
Consideration
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Jesus, light of the world, we wait in darkness, but also in hope for your coming;
Lord of Israel, you showed yourself to Moses in a burning bush;
Jesus, born of Mary, we pray with joyful hearts and wait with her in prayer;
Jesus, life of our bodies and souls,
Closing Prayer
(To be said after the intercessions each day of the novena)
Consideration- Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob; listen to Israel your father. Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches down, he stretches out like a lion, like a lioness--who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and the obedience of the peoples is his (Gen 49:2, 8-10).
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Christ our Redeemer, your law is a light to our path;
Coming Savior, dawn on us in radiant beauty,
God of Jacob, you desire that all might be saved;
Lord of nations, show us your glory and give us true faith and love;
Lord of ages, you desired to become one like us;
Closing Prayer
Consideration- The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness." Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, "As the Lord lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt," but "As the Lord lives who brought out and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the land of the north and out of all the lands where he had driven them." Then they shall live in their own land (Jer 23:5-8).
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Light of the world, dispel our darkness,
Key of David, unlock the mystery of your incarnation for all people,
Eternal Son, let your face shine upon the sick,
Son of David, remember all those who are to die today,
Closing Prayer
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Son of Man, may we celebrate your birth, you who are the Lamb of God;
Son of Mary, while in your Mother's womb you were welcomed by Elizabeth and her infant son,
John;
God our Counselor, come; tell us that your kingdom is at hand;
Root of Jesse, you humbled yourself to share our human nature;
Closing Prayer
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Adonai! Son of the living God! The day of the Lord draws near;
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, we wait with you quietly for the birth of your Son,
Virgin Mother, you placed yourself at God's service and conceived his Son first in your heart,
then in your womb;
Mary, our Mother, give doctors and nurses strength to bring their patients to health,
Closing Prayer
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Ruler of Jacob's house, teach us to guard what is good in ourselves,
God of power and might, help us to be patient and steady our hearts, because the coming of the
Lord is at hand;
Lord, the one foretold by the prophets,
Messiah, king of glory, you are the fulfillment of the Scriptures,
Closing Prayer
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace! In your great love for us you were born of the
Virgin Mary;
Mary has given birth to the Savior, splendor of the rising sun;
The angels proclaim a mystery today while shepherds hurry to a cave. Mary has given birth to a
child in a cold, bare stable;
Christ, Emmanuel, Mary cared for you in joy and Joseph provided for all the needs of his
family;
Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit
of your womb;
Closing Prayer
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
King of kings, direct the minds and hearts of those who hold authority;
Lord Jesus, through your saving grace and power,
Jesus, prince of peace, you are meek and humble of heart;
Jesus, source of light and growth, increase vocations in your Church, like a gentle rain falling
upon the earth;
Consideration
Consideration
Consideration
My soul magnifies the Lord,
Consideration
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever (Lk 1:46-55).
Consideration
Closing Prayer
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.ConsiderationThen his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace."The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel (Lk 1:56; 67-80).
Antiphon
Magnificat
Intercessions
Father of the Word made flesh, bring us joy and peace;
We await the coming of your Son,
May we prepare ourselves for the birth of your Son,
Through the Word made flesh may we learn to love each other,
Adonai, God of love and mercy, help us follow the example of Mary,
Closing Prayer
Magnificat
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever (Lk 1:46-55).
Taken from Favorite Prayers and Novenas, copyright 1996 by Pauline Books and Media. Used with permission.
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