Be Holy, Be Happy!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us

I thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ,
Eternal Word made flesh, and our brother.
By His life-death-resurrection
He has not only saved us, but He has made us new.
~Servant of God, William Giaquinta

Sistine Chapel

Jn. 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
"This was he of whom I said,
'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'"
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side,
has revealed him.



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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Nine


Christmas Novena 2011
Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day in the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.


Day Nine
With the rising of the sun, you will soon see the King of kings and Lord of lords, coming forth from His Father, as the bridegroom, from His bridal chamber.


Collect: Come quickly, we pray, Lord Jesus, and do not delay, that those who trust in your compassion may find solace and relief in your coming. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 


Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary
Jesus, Lamb of God in the womb of Mary Spare us, O Lord.
Jesus, Holy Innocent in the womb of Mary Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Jesus, Son of God and Messiah in the womb of Mary, Have mercy on us, O Lord.


Let us pray:
O Jesus, Eternal Word of the Father,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Out of love for us you chose the poverty of human nature,
death on the cross, and the hiddenness of bread.
Give us your sanctifying Spirit.
Make us meek and humble of heart.
Set us like a seal on your heart and on your arm,
so that your jealous love may shield us and keep us from evil. Amen.
+W. Giaquinta
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Friday, December 23, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Eight


Christmas Novena 2011
Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day in the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.

Day Eight
O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, O Lord our God.

Collect: Almighty ever-living God, as we see how the Nativity of your Son according to the flesh draws near, we pray that to us, your unworthy servants, mercy may flow from your Word, who chose to become flesh of the Virgin Mary and establish among us his dwelling, Jesus Christ our Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary
Jesus, Sacrificial Lamb, Docile Infant in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, who was to suffer the agony and passion of death, accepting the human capacity for pain and grief, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!


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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Seven


Christmas Novena 2011
Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day in the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.

Day Seven
O King of the Gentiles and their desired One, the Cornerstone that makes both one: Come, and deliver man, whom You formed out of the dust of the earth.

Collect: O God, who, seeing the human race fallen into death, willed to redeem it by the coming of your Only Begotten Son, grant, we pray, that those who confess his Incarnation with humble fervor may merit his company as their Redeemer. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary
Jesus, whose Holy Limbs first budded in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, whose Godhead the world cannot contain, weighing only a few grams in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, Divine Immensity, once measuring only tenths of an inch in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Six

Christmas Novena 2011
Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day in the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.


Day Six
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice; come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
Notre Dame de Paris
Collect: Hear in kindness, Lord, the prayers of your people, that those who rejoice at the coming of your Only Begotten Son in our flesh may, when at last he comes in glory, gain the reward of eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who loves and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary
Jesus, everlasting delight of heaven, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, Eternal Word, Divine Child, embraced by the Father, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, in whom the very angels beheld the humanity of the Infant God and the union of the two natures of the Word in the virginal womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Five

Christmas Novena 2011
Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day in the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.


Day Five
O Key of David, and Sceptre of the House of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: Come and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Pope Benedict XVI praying at the Grotto of the Annunciation

Collect: O God, eternal majesty, whose ineffable Word the immaculate Virgin received through the message of an Angel and so became the dwelling-place of divinity, filled with the light of the Holy Spirit, grant, we pray, that by her example we may in humility hold fast to your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary
Jesus, manifesting His Incarnation to His Holy Mother, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!

Jesus, adored and contemplated by His Mother in the sanctuary of her womb Jesus, before whom the angels prostrated themselves, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, raising His Mother to the heights of sanctification, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!


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Monday, December 19, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Four


Christmas Novena 2011
Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day in the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.


Day Four
O Root of Jesse, who stands for an ensign of the people, before whom kings shall keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: Come to deliver us, and tarry not.


Collect: O God, who through the child-bearing of the holy Virgin graciously revealed the radiance of your glory to the world, grant, we pray, that we may venerate with integrity of faith the mystery of so wondrous an Incarnation and always celebrate it with due reverence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary

Jesus, revealing with His Father and the Holy Spirit all wisdom and knowledge to His Most Holy Mother, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, aware of His role as Redeemer in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, Sanctifier of His Precursor from the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!


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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Three


Christmas Novena 2011
Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day taken from the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.


Day Three
O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with outstretched arm.


Collect: Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary
Jesus, hidden nine months in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, begotten by God, nourished by the substance and blood of His Most Holy Mother in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, leaping from eternity into time, in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!




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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Christmas Novena Day Two


Christmas Novena 2011

Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day taken from the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.


Day Two

O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly, Come, and teach us the way of prudence.


Collect: O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature, who willed that your Word should take flesh in an ever-virgin womb, look with favor on our prayers, that your Only Begotten Son, having taken to himself our humanity, may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


Litany to Jesus in the Womb of Mary
Jesus, word made flesh, taking on a human body in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, subject to human development in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, whose Precious Blood first flowed through tiny arteries and veins in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!





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Friday, December 16, 2011

Christmas Novena Day One

Christmas Novena 2011

Read the passage, Reflect on what strikes you in prayer, Rest with the insights and this encounter with Christ. The Prayers are from the Mass of the day taken from the New Roman Missal. Please share your insights if you wish.
Church of Visitation, Ein Kerem



Day One

Behold, the King will come, the Lord of the earth, and He will remove from us the yoke of our captivity.


Collect: May your grace, almighty God, always go before us and follow after, so that we, who await with heartfelt desire the coming of your Only Begotten Son, may receive your help both now and in the life to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


Litany of Jesus in the Womb of Mary

Jesus, knit so wonderfully in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, uniquely human from the moment of conception in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!
Jesus, present at creation, created in the womb of Mary, have mercy on us!


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