Christmas Novena

Day 3

10 min

Sign of the Cross

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

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Christmas Novena

Opening prayer:

O Lord Jesus, eternal Word of the Father, who for love of us willed to be born of the Virgin Mary, prepare my heart to receive You. As I keep these nine days of watching, kindle in me a holy longing, and come to be born anew in my soul. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 3: Christian, recognize your dignity

St. Leo the Great cried out, 'Christian, recognize your dignity,' for in the Incarnation God shares our nature and raises it to His own. The Christmas we await is not only God's descent to us but our calling upward into the life of God. The Son became man, the Fathers taught, that man might become a son of God. To despair of ourselves or wallow in sin is now to forget the noble lineage the newborn King has won for us.

O Lord Jesus, who by taking our flesh raised human nature to the dignity of the children of God, help me to recognize the nobility You have won for me. Let me never sink back into the unworthy ways of sin, but live as one redeemed and royal, worthy of the King who is coming to be born. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to live worthy of my dignity as a child of God.

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,

sanctificétur nomen tuum.

Advéniat regnum tuum.

Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie,

et dimítte nobis débita nostra,

sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem,

sed líbera nos a malo.

Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus,

et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatóribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Closing prayer:

Come, Lord Jesus, and do not delay; let the night of waiting give way to the dawn of Your coming. Make my heart a poor and lowly manger, swept clean and ready, that when You are born at Bethlehem You may find a home in me. Amen.

Sign of the Cross

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

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.