Novena to the Holy Child Jesus of Bethlehem

[Dawn Marie]

Novena to the Holy Child Jesus of Bethlehem

by Msgr. Jean-Joseph Gaume

Day One
The Eternal Word became man..

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O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for becoming incarnate, for adopting our human nature to ennoble and restore it. In the Creation of the universe Thou manifested Thine immense power, but now it is all the tenderness of Thy mercy that Thou displayed in the redemption of fallen humanity. Thou became a man, sub-ject to infirmities. Thou became our brother to lead us back to our Father. Only Thine infinite Love could have inspired Thee to invent such loving follies.
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O little Child Jesus, how can I make myself worthy of such a wonder of love and self-abasement? I, a vile sinner, seek to rise above everyone, whereas Thou annihilated Thineself to the point of taking the last place! Enough, O my God! I want to follow Thee on the way of Thine humiliations by my loving acceptance of all the occasions in which this last place will be offered to me by Thine divine Providence. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
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Glory be to the Father…
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Day Two
The Eternal Word was great and made Himself a little Child.
O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for hiding the greatness of Thine Divinity beneath the appearance of a little Child. As the Prince of Peace, Thou came to effect the mediation between sinful man and an offended God. Thou made Thyself little to attract our hearts. Thou obeyed in order to atone. Fragile swaddling clothes imprisoned Thine almighty power, to clearly show that it is by the power of Thine obedience that Thou accomplish the salvation of the world.
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O my dear little Child, I want to imitate Thee and become a child in my turn, since it is on this condition alone that I can be pleasing to Thee and enter into Thine Kingdom. Wrap up my rebellious will in the swaddling clothes of Thine divine Will, for I am resolved to conform my desires to Thine like a docile little child. By the merits of Thine holy childhood, may Thine holy Will henceforth be the rule of all my desires and all my actions. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
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Glory be to the Father…
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Day Three
The Eternal Word was mighty and made Himself weak.
O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for becoming weak for my love. Thou, the mighty God, wanted to experience all the frailty of our human nature. Thou slept in a stable, Thou weeped, Thou are cold. Thou felt all our infirmities, not only in Bethlehem, but throughout Thine entire life; they will change as Thy grow older, but they will remain Thine inseparable companions until death.
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O divine Child of Bethlehem, eternity will not suffice for me to thank Thee for taking every human weakness upon Thyself. By acting in this manner, Thou opened the way for me. Thou showed me that despite my own weaknesses, I can attain the sanctity that Thou expect of me. Thine example teaches me: I learn to mistrust myself and my incapacity in order to count solely on the help of the One who strengthens me and in whom I can do all things. Grant me, O Jesus, the grace to be very little in my own eyes and to place my trust in Thee alone. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
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Glory be to the Father…
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Day Four
The Eternal Word was rich and made Himself poor.
O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for embracing poverty with all its consequences for love of men. Thou come down from heaven to rest upon a bit of straw. Thou exchange the company of Angels for that of two animals. Thou enkindle the Seraphim, yet Thou shiver in the cold. Thou hold up the heavens, yet Thou must be carried in -others’ arms. Thou give nourishment to all that breathes, yet a little milk is needed to maintain Thine life. You make the Saints happy, yet Thou weep. O my God, how Thine examples preach to me! In them I discover the beauty of true poverty, which consists in despising all that is perishable in order to relish that which is eternal.
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O little Jesus, veritable Poor Child of Bethlehem, I want to renounce everything in order to find Thee. Detach my heart from the earth by all the means Thou will see fit, for I want Thee to be the unique treasure of my soul here on earth. O Jesus, Eternal Wisdom, be truly my God and my All. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
Glory be to the Father…
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Day Five
The Eternal Word was sublime and made Himself lowly.
O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for repairing the disobedience of man by the power of Thine humility. Without availing Thyself of Thine equality with God, Thou went from the throne of Thine glory to the lowliness of a poor manger. Thou became an unknown for this world which Thou were going to redeem. What a lesson Thou give our hearts so avid for -vainglory!
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O divine Child! It is by Thine humility that Thou want to be recognized. Thine examples make contempt and humiliation lovable and of infinite value. My duty and my treasure is to love them, just as Thou loved them. Had I loved Thee, humiliation would have seemed sweet and pleasant to me. But since Thou promise to forgive a contrite heart, I am sorry for my life so contrary to Thine. I want to amend myself, and out of love for the humiliations of Thine manger, I promise Thee to suffer in peace all the contempt, humiliations and rebuffs to which it shall please Thee to subject me. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
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Glory be to the Father…
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Day Six
The Eternal Word was the master and made Himself the servant.
O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks because Thou, being the King of kings, lowered Thyself to the point of taking the condition of a slave. With this wonder of Thine love, Thou released us from the devil’s yoke. Thou destroyed his empire by confounding the spirit of insubordination which is its foundation. To pride and disobedience, Thy opposed profound humility and total submission, making Thyself the servant of all.
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O Monarch of the world, Thou became a slave for love of me! I am deeply confounded at the thought of Thine manger, the eternal monument of Thine humiliations. I am ashamed at the thought of my pride, the memory of my follies and my ingratitude. I acknowledge my sin and am sorry for it. Thine infinite merits, O my Saviour, enliven my hope. I await my pardon from Thine inexhaustible goodness, which will not allow Thee to despise a contrite and humbled heart. Take the chains of Thine love, put them on my hands and feet; may I never be able to break them nor make any move-ment contrary to Thine Will. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
Glory be to the Father…
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Day Seven
The Eternal Word was happy and made Himself suffer.
O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for wanting to incarnate in order to suffer. Thou could have redeemed us without any suffering, but what suited Thine justice did not suit Thy immense love. Infinitely happy with Thine Father, Thou became a man of sorrows acquainted with suffering. As of the cradle, Thou embraced all the sorrows and hardships of our exile. Thou were the first to drink the remedy intended to heal our souls made sick by sin.
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O divine Child, the heart that loves desires to share everything with its beloved. I therefore declare to Thee that I want to be Thine disciple, take up my cross each day behind Thee. I would rather suffer close to Thee than have pleasure far from Thee. And if my soul is sometimes weighed down by sorrow, I will draw strength, courage and peace from Thy example. O little Child Jesus of the Manger, I accept to -suffer and to be scorned in order to resemble Thee. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
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Glory be to the Father…
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Day Eight
The Eternal Word was innocent and made Himself guilty.
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O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for bringing salvation to the world by clothing Thuneself with the guilt of sin. I see Thee in Thine poor stable, condemned to all the sufferings deserved by sinners. In contemplating the abjection to which Thine love for me has reduced Thee, I acknowledge that I am guilty before Thee and before men. I am alarmed by the number and gravity of my sins, and by my incapacity to pay for them. For this reason, O Holy Child Jesus, I ask Thine divine -Mother to take me in Her arms and offer me with Thee to the Eternal Father. Thou paid for me. Thou intercede for me. Thou have done my penance. That is why Thou suffered, why Thou carried the cross. I want to repair my sins by accepting each one of Thine purifying interventions in my life.
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O Jesus, Redeemer of the world, and many times Redeemer of my soul, I surrender, Thou have loved me too much! Make me a prisoner of Thine love, so that until my dying breath I may love Thee even more than I have offended Thee. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
Glory be to the Father…

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Day Nine
The Eternal Word was His Own and made Himself our own.
O sweet Jesus, Eternal Word made flesh, I give Thee thanks for making Thineself ours. In the manger, Thou give Thineself to abide in each one of Thine disciples as an interior Teacher who explains His lessons, makes them enjoyable and communicates the strength to practice them. Thou came down on earth to speak with man, become his brother and give YmThineself entirely to him.
What am I to do, O my lovable Child, in the presence of the excess of Thine gift? I want to give myself in my turn and give Thee love for love. I place my will in Thine hands, since it is the unique obstacle between Thee and me. I do not want Thou to have called me in vain. Behold my heart, my body, my soul, my life, my death; I bring Thee everything. I offer it to Thee by the most pure hands of Thine divine Mother, who is also my Mother, and by the hands of Saint Joseph, Thine foster Father and my protector. Receive everything, keep everything until the day of eternity, when I will no longer be able to lose Thee, but will rejoice eternally over having given myself to Thee. Amen.
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Invocation
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O divine Child Jesus, who for the salvation of the world wanted to be born in a stable, lying on straw in the manger, have mercy on me.
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Mary and Joseph,
pray to the Child Jesus for me.
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Glory be to the Father…

[Joseph]

Day 5 Amen.

[Joseph]

Day 4 Amen.

[Joseph]

Day 3 Amen.

[Joseph]

Day 2 Amen.

[Joseph]

Day one Amen.

I just saw this and am starting late.

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Amen.

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Amen.

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Day 7. Amen.

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Amen.

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Day 5. Amen.