Advent

The earliest ecclesiastical novena of which we have record is the Christmas novena, which commemorates the nine months during which the Christ-child was carried in the womb of His Mother.
---Blessed be God; a complete Catholic Prayer Book, 1925. A gift from my grandmother to her sister Mary



SHEPHERD who rulest Israel, Thou who leadest Joseph like a sheep, come to guide and comfort us.

WISDOM, who comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!

ADONAI and Ruler of the House of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the burning bush and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outsretched arm!

ROOT OF JESSE, who standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.

KEY OF DAVID and Sceptre of the House of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

DAYSPRING, Brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

KING OF THE GENTILES, yea, and desire thereof! O Cornerstone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou has made out of the dust of the earth!

EMMANUEL, our King and our Lawgiver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!

THOU that sittest upon the cherubim, God of hosts, come, show Thy face, and we shall be saved.