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 This "Christmas Novena Prayer" is expanded with special additional prayers each day, counting down to the Nativity of our Savior. Following these prayers, we recite the Christmas Novena Prayer "Hail and blessed be... to obtain favors if one's requests are in accordance with God's will. It is believed that whoever recites the following prayer with a pious heart 15 times a day from November 30th to December 25th, will obtain whatever is asked. You'll note there are various versions, that have been handed down from different areas within the Mystical Body of Christ. Some may have learned it one way, others another, but the key to remember is the intent. Whichever version of "Hail and blessed be..." you learned, if it's said from the heart, is pleasing to God.  |
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The "O Antiphons" were first put into use by Holy Mother Church in the eighth and ninth centuries. Said in the Office for the day, they are derived from various titles of Christ and scripturally based short prayers said from the 17th through the 23rd of December by which the Church expresses her deep longing for the coming of the Messiah.
  O WISDOM, Who came 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. Amen. CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 2: O Merciful Redeemer, Who didst vouchsafe to remain in the chaste cloister of Mary's womb, hidden and unknown, though Thou wast the Eternal Word, and the Wisdom of the Father. O Grant that we may learn from Thee to love solitude and silence, and escape the evils that are found in the tumult and distractions of the world; grant us greater purity of mind and heart; grant that we may glorify Thee, and edify others by our purity and modesty. |
  O LORD AND RULER of the House of Israel, Who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: COME, and redeem us with outstretched arms. Amen CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 3: O Infant God, Who, from the moment of Thy conception in holy Mary's womb, didst offer Thyself to Thine Eternal Father for the salvation of our souls. O vouchsafe, to give us a lively sense of the one thing necessary, so that we may labor zealously for others, and work out our own salvation in fear and trembling, yet with confidence in Thy love. |
  O ROOT OF JESSE, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silence and unto Whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: COME, to deliver us and tarry not. Amen CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 4: O Sweetest Jesus, Who didst go up to Bethlehem in the womb of Mary, to obey the command of Caesar, who had ordered all his subjects to be enrolled. O grant us grace to obey with alacrity the most arduous commands from those who hold Thy place over us. |
  O KEY OF DAVID and Sceptre of the House of Israel, Who opens and no man shuts, Who shuts and no man opens: COME, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death. Amen. CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 5: O Most Adorable Jesus, Who, upon Thine arrival at Bethlehem, wast rejected by all men. O grant us to follow Thine example in sufferings and contempt, that we may welcome Thee joyfully into our hearts, when Thou seekest an entrance there, either by holy inspirations or by Thy Divine Sacraments. |
  O DAWN OF THE EAST, brightness of light eternal, and Sun of Justice: COME, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. Amen. CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 6: O Divine Infant, Who, when excluded from Bethlehem, didst inspire Thy holy Mother to retire to a poor and wretched stable, in which obscure and humble place it was Thy will to be born, in order to confound our pride, and to teach us humility. O grant that henceforward, conforming ourselves to Thy will, we may renounce all pomp and pride, and become truly meek and humble of heart.
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  O KING OF THE GENTILES and their desired One, the Cornerstone that makes both one: COME, and deliver man, whom You formed out of the dust of the earth. Amen. CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 7: O Divine Word, Who for the love of us, Thy poor creatures, wast pleased to be born under the most lowly roof to be wrapped in the meanest swaddling-bands, and to be laid in a vile manger, amongst beasts, and to suffer a thousand evils. O grant that we also may renounce all worldly vanities, and embrace poverty of spirit, and mortification of the flesh, so necessary for our perfection. Grant that we may be thoroughly detached from creatures, and poor in all things save in Thy love and Thy grace. |
 
O EMMANUEL, God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: COME, to save us, O Lord our God. Amen. CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 8: O Divine Savior, O King of peace, Who wast pleased to make Thine appearance amongst us when the whole world was in peace. O vouchsafe to send us Thy peace, so that all our powers being brought into subjection to Thee, Thou mayest at the approaching solemnity, be born anew into our souls.
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  When Mary, the mother of Jesus, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. CHRISTMAS NOVENA, Day 9: O Divine Savior, O King of immortal glory, Who, in Thy great mercy, didst come into the world to redeem us and to make us holy. O grant that, denying all ungodliness and love of this world, we may live soberly in ourselves, justly toward our neighbor, and piously before Thee, that so we may be happy with Thee for all eternity. |
