CHRISTMAS (NATIVITY OF OUR LORD) NOVENA: DAY 7 (DECEMBER 22) – For peace in the world, in areas of violence, turbulence, and war; and also for all those in need of inner peace and tranquillity.

INTRODUCTION

On this seventh day of the Christmas novena, the liturgy presents us with the singing of the Magnificat, to help us prepare for the birth of our Lord Jesus. Mary’s attitude towards this song is a program of life, an acknowledgment of God’s presence and action in our lives.

OPENING PRAYER

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Fr. Chinaka: Our help is in the name of the Lord
Participants: who made heaven and earth

Fr. Chinaka: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
Participants: As it was, in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

God of infinite goodness, who loved us so much and who gave us in your Son the best offer of your love, so that, incarnated and made our brother in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, we would be adopted as sons and daughters of God. We give you thanks for such an immense benefit, and we offer you back, Lord, the sincere effort to make this your world and ours, a fairer world, more faithful to the great commandment to love one another as brothers and sisters. Grant us, Lord, your help to be able to accomplish it. We ask that this Christmas, a feast of peace and joy, be a stimulus for our community so that, living as brothers and sisters, we seek more and more the paths of truth, justice, love, and peace. (You may add your private petitions here) Amen.

SCRIPTURAL READING/MEDITATION: Luke 1: 46-56

The Gospel of the Lord

POINTS FOR MEDITATION

Go deeper into today’s gospel text, note all of Mary’s words in her song of praise. Reflect on what she said and bring it to our reality today.

PRAYER TO THE PREGNANT VIRGIN & SAINT JOSEPH

Oh Virgin Mother, we are beginning to prepare for your Son’s Nativity. We want to be with you to accompany you in these last days of your pregnancy. To share with you the joy that you feel in these moments, and thus learn from you how to correspond to the Lord, how to act according to his will, so that we may find joy, peace, and fulfillment in your Son, of the life that only He can give us. O Blessed Virgin and Mother, intercede for each one of us, ask your Son to help us live these days with the joy that you had in those moments of your Son’s birth. Amen.

Blessed Saint Joseph, husband of Mary and father of the Baby Jesus, you were chosen by the Almighty Father to be the Father and Guardian of His choicest Treasure, Christ our Redeemer, in the home of Nazareth. Help the fathers of families; may they always be in the home the image of the heavenly father, following your examples; may they fulfill the great responsibility of educating and forming their children, giving them, with a continuous effort, the best of themselves. Help children to understand and appreciate the unselfish efforts of their parents. Saint Joseph, husband, and father, intercede for us. Amen.

Pray 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, and 1 Glory be, seeking the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, while at the same time, contemplating on their “YES” in the mystery of Salvation (cf. Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:19-24)

LITANY OF THE INFANT JESUS

(Short invocations)

Divine Baby Jesus, Bless us
Our Judge, forgive us
Well of Kindness, Feed Our Faith
Our hope, Sustain us
Our Protector, Defend us
Source of Our life, Refresh us
Alpha and Omega, stay with us
Divine Baby Jesus, in you we trust

LET US PRAY:

Lord Jesus Christ, Your mother knew how to recognize and manifest Your presence in her and in history, and for having had the sensitivity to make known Your ways, who You favour, who Your privileged ones are. Lord, make us learn from her to recognize Your presence in our daily lives, that we may discover You in every event, and knowing Your ways, we do what pleases You. Let us know how to trust and hope in You, Lord, just as Your mother, who recognized everything the Father did in her, and that in the same way we can act and know that without You we are nothing and that You are the one who does everything in us. Amen.

CONCRETE ATTITUDE (Christmas Challenge)

– Make some gesture or attitude of gratitude and appreciation at work and/or to those living around you. Be able to say to those around you: ”thank you for […based on your experiences with them this year…]”. Do the same in your family. Express gratitude with a gesture, a call; be able to say “thank you”.

CONCLUDING PRAYER/BLESSING

Dear Baby Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour, You are descended from David, from Abraham; You have assumed our history, forming part of it. In the fullness of time, You wanted to be born of a woman and be one of us, to show us the great and beautiful value of having a Mother, a family, people of the same bloodline, with whom to share life, being loved and supported. Dear Baby Jesus, you who had a family, we beseech you to bless ours and grant that parents have feelings of self-giving, of love and affection, of interest and sensitivity, that they love each other and live for each other, and may this love be showered on the children at all times. Baby Jesus, bless every family and fill them with love and tenderness, as you had from your Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. Amen.

Fr. Chinaka: The Lord be with you
Participants: And with your Spirit

Through the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, may the Baby Jesus (Christ Our Lord) born in a stable at Bethlehem, bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Fr. Chinaka: Peace be with you
Participants: And with your Spirit