In the Spirit: Christmas Novena

As Catholics (and Christians) we believe that Advent is a time for "preparing the way of the Lord" into our hearts and lives in a profound and personal way as we anticipate the Nativity of the Incarnate Lord.  [Wow!  That's way cooler than just anticipating a fat guy in carmine fuzz with cookie crumbs stuck in his beard trying to shimmy up and down our chimneys.]

My sophomore lit teacher in high school (thanks Mr. Westhoff!) introduced me to the St. Andrew's Christmas Novena (which is neither a true novena--9 day prayer--nor a prayer to St. Andrew).  At first I was skeptical.  Seriously?  Why do we say it 15 times??  I think God gets the point.  Plus, it probably wasn't "piercing cold" when Christ was born that close to the equator.  [Yes, I was an internally arrogant teen.]

Then, it began to click.  I have to say it 15 times because the first 10 times I'm not even focused on the prayer.  It takes that long for me to really, honestly re-focus on Christ and the mystery of Christmas.  Also, the language of the prayer is beautiful.  It doesn't matter what temperature it was--he was born amidst difficulty and a world full of icy hearts (like mine).

This prayer (of which I cannot find the origins, much to my dismay), is traditionally (for the last hundred years) said from the feast of St. Andrew (Nov. 30th--today) until Christmas Eve.  It is piously believed to be efficacious in obtaining an answer to your request, in addition to being a powerful way of focusing your heart on Christmas.

Say it 15 times a day (5 times before each meal if you need to break it up) for a particular intention.  Just take the time to memorize it the first day or two so you can say it whenever you remember.  Now, I look forward to this devotion every year and share it with my students.

Christmas Novena

Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold. At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, to hear my prayers and grant my desires. (Mention your intentions here) Through the merits of Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother. Amen.
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