Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

Day 1

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.

Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

Opening prayer:

Lord, I desire to seek Your Face; do not turn it from me because of my sins, nor take Your Holy Spirit from me. Let the light of Your Face shine upon me as I begin this novena. Receive my poor desire to console You and to make reparation, and through Your suffering Face obtain for me the grace I now implore. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 1: The Face of the newborn King

Enter the grotto of Bethlehem and gaze upon the newborn Child, wrapped in poor swaddling clothes. For four thousand years patriarchs and prophets cried, "Show us Your Face, and we shall be saved." Behold it at last: the Face of Emmanuel, God with us. Already it offers you its first prayer, turned toward the Father; its first tears, weeping over a world's sin; and its first smile, tender and radiant, which seems to say, "Draw near, have confidence, I love you." Render Him love for love.

O sweet Face of the Infant Jesus, who in the cradle already prayed, wept, and smiled for love of me, draw my whole heart to Yourself. Let me gather up Your first holy tears and offer them to the Father for my debts, and carry Your first smile in the depths of my soul as a spark of hope and love. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to render Christ love for love.

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:

Almighty and merciful God, grant, we beseech You, that we who venerate the Face of Your Christ, disfigured in His Passion for our sins, may be found worthy to contemplate it eternally in the splendor of Your glory. May that sacred countenance be my light in this life, my reparation for the blasphemies that wound You, and my joy forever. 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.