ADVENT NOVENA TO THE CHILD JESUS – Day 6 – Knights of the Precious Blood

The 21st of December: Day 6

OPENING PRAYER Most gracious GOD of infinite charity, You gave your only begotten Son as an unparalleled sign of your love for man. By this love He was made Flesh within a Virgin Mother’s Womb and was born in a manger for our salvation. Let our prayer come before you as a song of thanksgiving, uttered on behalf of every mortal man, for this wonder of your grace. Loving FATHER, there is nothing with which we can repay you, other than the poverty, humility, and other virtues of your Incarnate Son; I pray that for the sake of his divine merits, of every hardship that surrounded his birth, and of every tear that He shed at the manger, You may bring our hearts to such deep humility, such zealous love, and such perfect disregard for every worldly thing, that the newborn CHRIST may find in them his cradle and abide there forever. Amen.

Glory to the FATHER… (three times)

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN O Blessed Virgin MARY, spotless mirror of virtue and humility whom the GOD of Heaven and Earth elected for a mother, I pray that you may prepare my soul, and that of everyone who at this time might pray this novena, for the spiritual birth of your beloved Son. O Dearest of Mothers! Let me know something of that profound contemplation and devout tenderness with which you awaited Him, that I may be made less unworthy to see, love, and adore Him for all eternity. Amen.

(Pray the Hail MARY three times)

PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH Dearest Saint Joseph, husband of MARY and adoptive father of JESUS CHRIST, I praise GOD for electing you to such an exalted task and adorning you with every grace befitting so high a ministry. I pray that through the love with which you cared for the Infant CHRIST, you may embrace my heart with a fervent desire to behold and receive Him in the Blessed Sacrament, until in His Divine Essence I may one day gaze upon Him and rejoice with Him in Heaven. Amen.
Our FATHER, Hail MARY, Glory Be……

Meditation for the Day JESUS had been conceived of the HOLY SPIRIT in Nazareth, home to Joseph and MARY, and it would have been there, in all likelihood, where one would have expected him to be born. GOD, however, had a different plan, and his prophets had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judah, the City of David.

That the prophecy might be fulfilled, GOD made use of a means that seemed to bear no relation to his purpose; namely, a decree issued by Caesar Augustus that all subjects of the Roman Empire should be registered in their place of origin. MARY and Joseph, being descendants of David, were required to travel to Bethlehem. Neither the Blessed Virgin’s condition, nor Joseph’s need for daily work to provide for his growing family, exempted them from taking this long and difficult journey during the harshest season of the year.

JESUS, who was not ignorant of the place in which He was destined to be born, inspired his holy parents to trust themselves to Divine Providence, that by obeying the emperor’s decree they might unconsciously further the accomplishment of GOD’s designs. Observe, faithful souls, how the Divine Child guides them, for it is of utmost importance to the spiritual life. Understand that those who have given themselves to GOD must no longer belong to themselves, must desire nothing that GOD does not desire, must follow Him with perfect trust, even allowing themselves to be led to whatever place He wishes. There will be plenty of opportunities to see such perfect dependence and fidelity modelled throughout the life of JESUS CHRIST, this being the fundamental disposition which in Him all saints and all truly devoted souls have striven to imitate, renouncing absolutely to their private wills.

PRAYER TO THE CHRIST CHILD Remember, O beloved Infant JESUS, the words you spoke unto Venerable Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament as a promise of comfort to all the suffering and afflicted: “Everything that you would ask, ask it through the merits of my infancy, and nothing shall be denied you.” We thus come full of trust in you, O CHRIST—you who are Truth Incarnate—to offer up our every sadness.

Help us to lead a holy life, that we may receive the gift of a blessed eternity. Grant us, through the merits of your incarnation and infancy, the grace that we now request of You.

(Pause for a moment to silently make your prayer to GOD.)

We give ourselves to You, O Omnipotent Child, certain that our hope shall not be frustrated, and that by virtue of your divine promise, You will hear and answer our supplication. Amen.

JUBILATIONS

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel.

O infinite wisdom of the Sacred Godhead, to an infant’s limits You humble your powers! O Child Uncreated, come to teach the blinded the prudence that fashions wise men from the humble!