The Hour and Moment

This prayer stands outside of time. While all prayer does this, the Christmas novena clearly does this through the actual words of the prayer. We are taken by this prayer, from the present moment and placed into the hour and moment of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph. There in that moment we ask Jesus, Mary and Joseph to pray for our intentions.

I have written about the Christmas novena before, but as I start the novena again this year I continue to be surprised by how it touches my heart so deeply.

The beauty of this prayer is so rich! The Holy Family, who have undergone so much hardship already leading up to this point, selflessly await to receive our prayers in this most incredible moment. Jesus is a gift to the whole world, not just to His parents, and this Gift is to be offered for the salvation of the world. Jesus, Mary and Joseph’s great love for all of humanity is made manifest in this very moment of Jesus’ birth and the special graces that flow from this incredible act of love by God are there for all who seek them in that moment.

This Advent, I encourage you to seek the graces that are waiting for us in the hour and moment that the Incarnate Word was born into the world. May we enter more fully into the moment of Jesus’ birth, as we bring our intentions to the Holy Family.