Prayers in Honor of the Mysteries of the Holy Childhood

Prayers in Honor of the Mysteries of the Holy Childhood

V. O God, come to my assistance. 
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, and ever will be, world without end.

Our Father, etc.

1. The Incarnation.
Jesus, sweetest Child! Who for our our salvation didst come down from the bosom of the Father, and conceived by the Holy Ghost didst not shrink from the Virgin's womb: O Word made flesh, while taking the form of a servant, have mercy on us!

R. Have mercy on us, O Child Jesus! have mercy on us!
Hail Mary, etc.

2. The Visitation.

O Jesus, sweetest Child! Who in thy Virgin Mother's womb visited Elizabeth, and didst fill John the Baptist, thy forerunner, with the Holy Ghost, sanctifying him in his mother's womb, have mercy on us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O Child Jesus! have mercy upon us.

Hail Mary, etc.

3. Awaiting the Birth.

O Jesus, sweetest Child! Who for nine months lay hidden in Thy Mother's womb, awaiting Thy birth, which the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were longingly expecting, and which by them was offered to God the Father for the salvation of the world, have mercy upon us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O Child Jesus! have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary, etc.

4. The Nativity.

O Jesus, sweetest Child! born in Bethlehem of Mary ever a Virgin, laid in a crib, Whom Angels announced and Whom shepherds visited, have mercy on us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O Child Jesus! have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary, etc.

Glory throughout eternity
To Jesus Christ, the Virgin's Son,
Who with the Father reigns on high,
With the Holy Spirit, Three in One.

V. Christ is at hand.
R. Oh, come, let us adore.

Our Father, etc.

5. The Circumcision.

O Jesus, sweetest Child! wounded on the eighth day by circumcision, called by the glorious name of Jesus, and by this name as by Thy blood, foreshown to be the Saviour of the world, have mercy upon us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O Child Jesus! have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary, etc.

6. The Adoration of the Magi.
O Jesus! sweetest Child, made known to the Magi by a star, adored on Thy sweet Mother's lap and presented with the mystical gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh, have mercy upon us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O child Jesus! Have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary, etc.

7. The Presentation in the Temple.

O Jesus! sweetest Child! presented in the temple by the Virgin Mother, placed in the arms of Simeon, and by the voice of the prophetess Anna revealed to Israel, have mercy upon us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O child Jesus! have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary, etc.

8. The Flight into Egypt.

O Jesus, sweetest Child! Whom Herod sought to kill, Whom St. Joseph carried with His Mother into Egypt, saved thus by flight from a cruel death, and glorified by the martyrdom of the holy innocents, have mercy on us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O child Jesus! have mercy upon us.

Hail Mary, etc.

Glory throughout eternity

To Jesus Christ, the Virgin's son,
Who with the Father reigns on high,
With the Holy Spirit, Three in One.

V. Christ is at hand.
R. Come, let us adore.

Our Father, etc.

9. Sojourn in Egypt.

O Jesus, sweetest Child! Who didst tarry in Egypt with Thy most holy Mother Mary, and the patriarch St. Joseph, until the death of Herod, have mercy upon us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O child Jesus! have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary etc.

10. Return from Egypt.
O Jesus, sweetest Child! Who in returning from Egypt with Thy parents, endured many hardships by the way, and came to the city of Nazareth, have mercy on us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O child Jesus! have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary etc.

11. Holy Life.
O Jesus, sweetest Child! Who in the holy house of Nazareth didst live a most holy life, submissive to Thy parents, enduring poverty and hard labor, while daily advancing in age, wisdom and grace, have mercy on us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O child Jesus! have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary etc.

12. Jesus with the Doctors in the Temple.
Jesus, sweetest Child! brought at twelve years old to Jerusalem, lost by Thy parents, sought for in sorrow, and after three days found with joy, disputing with the doctors in the Temple, have mercy upon us.

R. Have mercy upon us, O child Jesus! Have mercy upon us.
Hail Mary etc.

Glory throughout eternity
To Jesus Christ, the Virgin's Son,
Who with the Father reigns on high,
With the Holy Spirit, Three in One.

V. Christ is at hand.
R. Come let us adore.

Our Father, etc.

At Christmas and during the Octave, substitute:

V. The Word was made flesh. Hallelujah.
R. And dwelt among us. Hallelujah.

At the Feast of the Epiphany and during the Octave, say:

V. Christ has manifested Himself to us. Hallelujah.
R. Come, let us adore. Hallelujah.

Let us Pray
Almighty and everlasting God! Lord of Heaven and earth, Who dost reveal Thyself to little ones, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may so venerate the holy mysteries of the childhood of Thy Son Jesus, and follow Him so humbly in our lives, that, we may one day come to the kingdom of Heaven promised to the little ones. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the Raccolta
Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons