Colombian Christmas Novena Day 1

So, as I talked about in this post, today starts the Colombian Christmas novena.

Feel free to join along!

First, a little background:

This Novena to “el Niño Jesus” (the Child Jesus) is an old Colombian tradition dating from the 1700’s and is known as the “Novena de Aguinaldos.” We pray it starting on the 16th of December for nine consecutive days. The Novena is more than a simple prayer; it is a family affair. It is a wonderful way to get together with family and friends and enjoy the true meaning of “La Navidad.” It is a perfect example of how Christmas is celebrated in Colombia and is a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.  A different family volunteers to host a night of the Novena to pray and sing together around the Nativity Scene. The Novena prayers are lead by the children, “typical” Christmas carols are sung and instruments played, and then the party begins with a night full of “typical” Colombian foods, drinks, and music. The tradition of the Novena is so widespread, it is carried on in many malls, neighborhoods, churches and even government offices where one day of prayer is assigned to each office or floor in the building.

Origins of the Novena de Aguinaldos 

At the end of the 1700’s, Fray Fernando de Jesús Larrea, a student studying to be a priest from Quito, Ecuador, wrote “La Novena de Aguinaldos” at the request of Mrs. Clemencia de Jesús Caycedo Vélez, the foundress of “La Enseñanza,” a Catholic school in Bogotá. Many years later, a nun in the 1800’s from the same Catholic school, Sister María Ignacia, modified the Novena de Aguinaldos. She added “Los Gozos,” which is best described as a poem (couplet) of the aspirations for the coming of the Christ Child. “Los Gozos” are the verses that all participants pray at the end of the daily and the specific day prayers. To many, this is the best part of the Novena where everyone sings and plays their instruments (even homemade ones). Many times people participate with guitars, piano, harp or any other instrument that makes the Novena de Aguinaldos an unforgettable one.

Purpose of the Novena de Aguinaldos

The majority of Colombians are Roman Catholic and many of them actively participate in religious celebrations such as the Novena. It was created with the purpose of praising the Lord and celebrating the birth of Jesus.  To pray the Novena, start by gathering with your family and friends around the
Nativity Scene. Bring musical instruments for the little ones to play during “Los Gozos.” In many towns and neighborhoods, priests call upon their communities to gather at church to pray the Novena which includes participants dressed up as Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus and the animals that are included in the nativity.
The Novena has every day prayers and specific prayers for days one through nine. It is simple to follow and a lot of fun to do for children and adults alike. After the Novena, typical Christmas dishes are served such as: “buñuelos” or fried dough, “natilla” a dessert made with milk, cloves and cinnamon, hot chocolate, "empanadas” a fried dough filled with potatoes and meat, and a drink called “sabajón” which is similar to egg nog.

The following is an adapted version of the original Novena de Aguinaldos translated into English. Although every attempt was made to keep the essence of the original Spanish version intact, it was necessary to modify the language to make sense in English.

You start the novena with this prayer for every day -

Prayer for Everyday:

O Most Gracious God of infinite love, You loved humankind so much, You gave
us in Your Son the best pledge of Your love, so that Jesus, made man in the
womb of a Virgin and born in a manger, would be our health and remedy. I, on
behalf of all humanity, give You infinite thanks for such a sovereign benefit.
In return for this great gift, I offer You the poverty, simplicity, humility and other
virtues of Your Incarnate Son. I implore You by His divine merits, the discomforts
He suffered when He was born, and sweet tears He shed in the manger, that
You prepare our hearts with profound humility, a burning love and with total
disdain of all that is material and earthly, so that the newborn Jesus will find in
our hearts His crib and abode forever.
–Amen.
(Glory Be… 3 Times)

Then you read the meditation for that day - 

First Day

Meditation:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God (John 1:1).” In this profound depth of eternity, the Son of God reposed
before He humbled Himself to descend to earth and visibly take possession of
the grotto of Bethlehem. The life of the Eternal Word in the bosom of His Father
was a wonderful life and yet, sublime mystery! He seeks an earthly dwelling not
because there was something lacking in His infinite happiness, but rather His
Infinite Mercy longed for the redemption and salvation of humankind, and without
Him, it could not come to pass.
The sin of Adam offended God and that infinite offense could not be forgiven but
by the merits of the same God. The fallen children of Adam were disobedient
and deserved an eternal punishment. In order to save mankind and satisfy their
sin, it was necessary that the Eternal Word take human form and in obedience to
the will of His Father, atone by His suffering and death for the disobedience,
pride, ingratitude and rebelliousness of man. And so, with burning desire to save
mankind “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14)” in order to
redeem guilty humanity.

Following the meditation, recite the following prayers - 

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin
O Heavenly Queen, by your great virtues and especially for your humility, you
merited God’s favor to choose you for His mother. I beg you to prepare my soul
and the souls of all those who at this time are praying this Novena for the spiritual
birth of your beloved Son.
Oh, sweet Mother! Instill in me something of that profound contemplation and
great tenderness you felt while you awaited His coming, so that you make us less
unworthy to see Him, love Him, and adore Him for all eternity. - Amen.
(Hail Mary… 3 Times)

Prayer to St. Joseph
O great St. Joseph, husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus! I give infinite
thanks to God for having chosen you for such a great ministry and for having
bestowed upon you all the gifts proportionate to such greatness. I beseech you,
for the love you had for the Divine Child, that you embrace my earnest desires to
see Him and receive Him sacramentally, while we wait to see Him and enjoy Him
in His Divine Essence in heaven. - Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...)

Poem to be said Every Day

L: My Sweet Jesus,
my adorable child!
R: Come to our souls!
(¡Ven a nuestras almas!)
Come, without delay!
(¡Ven no tardes tanto!)
Chorus: (Instruments are played)
¡Ven, ven, ven! ¡Ven a nuestras
almas, Jesus, ven, ven, ven, ven!
¡Ven a nuestras almas, Jesus,
ven, ven a nuestras almas!…¡No
tardes, tanto no tardes, tanto
Jesus ven, ven!
L: Oh Eternal Wisdom
of the Sovereign God
You have humbled Yourself to
the level of a Child!
Oh Divine Infant,
Come, to teach us
The prudence that makes us
truly wise!
R: Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L:Oh, Holy Root of Jesse!
From the highest heavens
You present to the world
Your fragrant flower
O Most Sweet Child!
Who has been called
Lily of the Valleys
Beautiful flower of the field!
R:Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L:Oh light of the East,
Sun of rays eternal
In darkness we see
the light of your splendor!
Child so precious,
Joy of Christians,
Show us the smile
of your sweet lips!
R: Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L:King of all nations,
Holy Emmanuel
Israel's longing,
shepherd of the flock!
Child who shepherds
with gentle whispers,
the unruly sheep
and the meek lamb!
R:Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L: Open the heavens
and rain from above
Heavenly dew,
holy mist!
Come, beautiful Child!
Come, God Incarnate!
Shine, beautiful star,
Blossom flower of the field!
R:Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L:Come! For Mary
prepares her arms
Where her Child will be seen
in a short while!
Come! For Joseph,
with sacred yearning
Prepares himself to be
a tabernacle of Your love!
R:Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L:Help of the weak,
Refuge of the suffering,
Comforter of the sad,
Light of the exiled!
Life of my life,
My beloved dream,
My constant friend,
My Divine brother!
R:Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L:Behold my eyes,
in love with You!
I kiss your feet;
I kiss your hands,
Prostrate on earth,
I extend my arms to You,
My weeping says even more
than my words!
R:Come to our souls!
Come, without delay! Etc…
L:Come, O Savior,
for whom we sigh!
R:Come to our souls,
Come, without delay! 

Then end with the following prayer:

The Memorare to the Child Jesus
Remember, O Sweet Holy Child Jesus, that You have said to Venerable Sister
Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament, and to all of your devotees, these words so
full of consolation for our poor, burdened and suffering humanity: “Draw from this
Divine Heart. Ask all that you desire through the merits of My Holy Childhood.
Nothing will be refused to you.”
(Here mention your request…)
Full of confidence in Thee, O Jesus, Who are Truth itself, we come to make
known all our misery to you. Help us to lead a Holy life in order to attain a
Blessed Eternity. Grant us through the infinite Merits of Your Incarnation and of
Your Childhood, the graces of which we are most in need.
No, we shall not be deceived in our hope. We abandon ourselves to Thee, O
Omnipotent Child, in virtue of Your Divine Promise, You will favorably receive
and deign to grant our prayer.
- Amen.

I hope you enjoy praying along - this novena has been a part of my Christmas from the time I was a little girl and has always brought me such joy and peace during this Christmas season.  I pray your family enjoys it as much as our family does!

For the record - this is not my family - but this is the exact tune that we sing Los Gozos - and this sort of gives you an idea of the instruments/singing that I'm talking about.  Enjoy!