Twenty-Five Days Preparation for the Nativity

Twenty-Five Days Preparation for the Nativity, 

after the example of Saint Catherine of Bologna

PRAYER TO BE SAID EVERY DAY

IN lowly reverence at thy feet we kneel, great Mother of our GOD, most holy Mary, advocate of sinners; humbly praying thee, by the merits of the Precious Blood of thy Divine Son, shed for us sinners, and by the intercession of thy well-beloved servant, Catharine, to gain for us by thy prayers true fervour of spirit in this holy exercise, and the grace to walk in the way of all thy virtues, after the example of St Catharine, to the honour and glory of JESUS CHRIST, thine only Son our SAVIOUR. Forget our monstrous ingratitude, look not upon our sins, but rather find for us a refuge in the depths of thy loving kindness; and having regard to that love wherewith thou didst ever love thy faithful servant Catharine, obtain for us the remission of our sins, so that we may confidently hope to attain all that we desire for our spiritual wants. Amen.

FOR THE FIRST DAY

IN imitation of St Catharine, we purpose now to praise the great Mother of our GOD, honouring her Sacred Delivery, and saying- to her forty Angelic Salutations and forty Benedictions, thereby to obtain her powerful aid at the hour of our death, and a true contrition for our sins, that so we may pass from this land of our pilgrimage to eternal joys.

FOR THE OTHER DAYS

IN imitation of St Catharine, let us continue to praise the great Mother of our GOD, honouring her Sacred Delivery with forty Angelic Salutations and forty Benedictions, to obtain thereby her powerful aid at the hour of our death, and true contrition for our sins, that so we may pass from this land of our pilgrimage to eternal joys.

FOR THE LAST DAY

IN imitation of St Catharine, today we end this exercise praising the great Mother of our GOD, and honouring her Sacred Delivery, with forty Angelic Salutations and forty Benedictions, to obtain thereby her powerful aid at the hour of our death, and true contrition for our sins, that so we may pass from this land of our pilgrimage to eternal joys.

FIRST DECADE

WHILST saying for the first time Ave Maria ten times and the ten Benedictions, we meditate on the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, and the great dignity of the Virgin who was elected to be the Mother of the Most High.  Ave Maria ten times, and after each Ave say, Blessed be the hour, Mary, when thou didst become Mother of JESUS, SON of GOD.

SECOND DECADE

WHILST saying for the second time Ave Maria ten times and the ten Benedictions, we meditate on the humility of the King of heaven, who chose for his birthplace a poor stable, and on the joy of Mary when she first saw the Only-begotten of the FATHER, the Fruit of her womb. Ave Maria ten times, and after each Ave, Blessed be the hour, Mary, when thou didst bring forth JESUS the SON of GOD.

THIRD DECADE

WHILST saying for the third time Ave Maria ten times and the ten Benedictions, we contemplate the exact carefulness of Mary, as she fulfilled perfectly the parts both of Martha and of Magdalen, contemplating her Son as her REDEEMER, and at the same time ministering to Him as her Child. Ave Maria ten times, and after each Ave, Blessed be the hour, Mary, when thou didst nourish at thy breast JESUS, SON of GOD.

FOURTH DECADE

WHILST saying for the fourth time Ave Maria ten times and the ten Benedictions, we meditate upon the great reverence with which Mary embraced and pressed to her very heart rather than to her bosom, kissed, and adored her GOD and ours, incarnate for love of us ; and moved thereby with profound reverence and devout affection we say, Ave Maria ten times, and after each Ave, Blessed be that hour, Mary, when thou didst embrace JESUS, SON of GOD.

Mother may obtain of the Infant which is born of her these two special blessings, viz., the first, in life, grace truly to repent of our sins; the second, in death, certainty of salvation. Wherefore let everyone here present say heartily with St Catharine: Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us ; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, JESUS, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Then the Litany of the Blessed Virgin

V/. Make me worthy to praise thee, Virgin ever blessed.

R/. Give me strength against thine enemies.

Let us pray

GOD, who by the message of an angel didst will that thy Divine Word should take to Himself human flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant unto us thy suppliants that we, who believe her to be verily and indeed Mother of GOD, may be aided by her intercession with Thee. Visit us, O LORD, we beseech Thee, and purify our hearts; that our LORD JESUS CHRIST thy SON may, when He comes with all his saints, find a dwelling-place prepared for Himself within us. Who with Thee liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. R/. Amen.

100 Days, each day. ii. Plenary, to those who shall have practised it for at least twenty days, I,II, III, IV. (See Instructions.) 188 Pius VII, November 14, 1815.

From the Raccolta

Image Credit Waiting for the Word