Come, O Lord and do not delay!
Today, the 16th of December, is the beginning of the Solemn Novena for Christmas! Only a few days left to prepare for the coming of our great King and the desires of our hearts grow more and more! Yet, we have to admit that so far we have fallen short. Our efforts to prepare our hearts are not as perfect as we would like them to be, so we turn to each Person of the Holy Trinity and to Mary and Joseph for help. First we ask the Eternal Father of Mercies, in Whose bosom the Word was begotten from all eternity, and Who willed that His Son should take on our human nature, to effect in us a new birth of His Son. We ask the Son to come, take birth in our hearts and to make them entirely His. We ask the Holy Spirit who prepared Mary for the birth of the Word to prepare us too, for without His help, it cannot happen in us. We ask Our Lady to place in our hearts those same sentiments of complete oneness with the will of God which is necessary for Jesus to take birth in us, in memory of the sorrow she experienced in giving birth to her Son in a stable. And then St. Joseph, appointed by the Father as guardian of the Word, to take us in his care and provide for all our insufficiences. We include part of the Novena so you too can beseech Jesus to Come! tarry now no more!
Dominican Nuns’ Christmas Novena (Short Version) – see video below
V. And the Word was made flesh.
R. and dwelt among us.
V. Come, O Lord, and do not delay!
R. and renew the face of Israel Thy people.
V. O Jesus, have mercy on us.
R. O Mary, intercede for us.
V. O Joseph, pray for us.
R. Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Descend, O celestial Dew! Come, O Son of God, that justice may abound in all our works and that we many enjoy an abundance of peace. Come, creatures of the earth, before our great King, and give Him the homage of your adoration. What is man, O infinite Majesty, that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that Thou shouldst visit him? What may we do to thank Thee for all Thy benefits? Thou dost ask but our hearts; it is these Thou has come to seek. Ah! Lord, we consecrate them to Thee, but with confusion, seeing them so full of miseries. Purify them, we beseech Thee, and render them worthy to serve Thee at Thy cradle, when Thou comest forth from the chaste womb of Thy most Holy Mother. This is the most ardent of our desires; and may we enjoy Thee for all eternity. Amen.