Day 9: 24th December - The Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

Day 9: Morning Prayer:  From the Discourse for Christmas Night

Glory to the divine love, which induced God to become a little child, poor and lowly, to live a hard life, and to die a cruel death, in order to show man the love which he bears him. “In the stable we see power reduced to impotence, and wisdom become mad through excess of love.” (St Laurence Justinian). We see the power of God, as it were, annihilated; we see God, who is wisdom itself, become as it were a fool through the excess of love which he bears to men.

My infant Jesus, now that I am about to approach Thy feet, inflame me wholly with Thy holy love, and bind me to Thee. But bind me so effectually that I may nevermore be separated from Thee, O my God who didst become a little child for my sake. 

Let us enter; let us not be afraid. 

But I love you very little; I desire to love you very much, and you have to enable me to do it. I come then, to kiss your feet, and I offer you my heart. I leave it in your hands. I will have it no longer. Change it, and keep it for ever. Do not give it back to me again, for if you do, I fear lest I should betray you afresh.

(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 8: 23rd December - Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

‘The Eternal Word from being Rich made Himself Poor.’

Everything that is in heaven and on earth is God’s: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.’ (Psalm 24:1). But even this is little; heaven and earth are but the least portion of the riches of God. The riches of God are infinite, and can never fail, because his riches do not depend on others, but he, who is the Infinite Good, possesses them himself. Now this God, who is rich, made himself poor by becoming man, that he might thereby make us poor sinners rich: ‘Although he was rich, he became poor for your sake, so that you should become rich through his poverty.’ (2 Cor 8:9).

What! A God become poor? And why? Let us understand the reason. The riches of this world can be nothing but dust and mire; but it is mire that so completely blinds men that they can no longer see which are the true riches. But the divine mercy ordained that the very Son of God himself should come down to enlighten these blind creatures: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.’ (Is 9:2).

Jesus was called the Light of the Gentiles. ‘The light shines in the darkness.’ (Jn 1:5). Thus did the Lord from the first promise to be himself our Master, and a Master who should be seen by us.

And Jesus Christ, as he was born poor, so did he also continue in poverty all his life. Our Redeemer, after having been born in such poverty, was obliged to fly from his own country into Egypt. In this journey, St. Bonaventure goes on to consider the poverty of Mary and Joseph, who, traveling like poor people on so long a journey, and carrying the Holy Infant, must have suffered very much on account of their poverty: “What did they do for food?” (Says the Saint). “Where did they repose at night? How were they lodged?” What could they have to eat except a little hard bread? Where could they have slept at night, in that desert, if not on the ground, in the open air, or under some tree? Who that met these three great pilgrims on their way would have ever taken them for anything else than three poor beggars?”

From Egypt they returned into Palestine to live again in Nazareth, and there Jesus continues his life of poverty.

Finally, then, the Redeemer comes forth to preach, and in these three last years of his life he changes not his fortune or his condition; but he lives in even greater poverty than before, living on alms. Therefore he said to a certain man, who wished to follow him: ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.’ (Mat 8: 20). The true servants of Christ neither have, nor desire to have, anything but Christ.

God seems to have gone on to madness in his love for men, being willing to embrace so many miseries to obtain for them the riches of divine grace and eternal glory. That being King of heaven, he should have chosen to be so despised!

Oh! If men would always remember that they are but travelers in this world, and on their way to eternity, who would be found to attach himself to earthly riches, and, so doing, to run the risk of losing the riches of eternity? Jesus Christ wished to be born in poverty that from his divine example we should pluck out of our hearts all affection to the things we possess here, and should give it to virtue and holy love: ‘For wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be too.’ (Mat 6:21).

What are treasures? What possessions? What riches? What is the use of these goods if they do not satisfy the heart, and we must leave them so soon? ‘Do not store up treasure for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven.’ (Mat 6: 19-20). O what a treasure is the grace of God and divine love to those who know it! ‘Behold His reward is with Him,’ says Isaiah (Is 40:10).

My dear Jesus, inflame me with your holy love; since for this end you came upon earth. It is true that I am so wretched as to have offended you, after the many special lights and graces which have been bestowed on me. I firmly hope for pardon and the grace to love you for the rest of my life. O Mary! Great Mother of this great Son, and most beloved by him, pray to him for me.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 7: 22nd December - Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

‘The Eternal Word from being Happy made Himself Afflicted.’

Behold the three sinful loves which held dominion over man after the sin of Adam, the love of pleasures, the love of riches and the love of honors, which generate human pride. The divine Word, to teach us by his example, the mortification of the senses, by which the love of pleasures is subdued, from being happy became afflicted; to teach us detachment from the goods of this earth, from rich he became poor; and finally, to teach us humility, which overcomes the love of honors, from being exalted he became humble. We will speak on these three points during the last three days of the Novena. Today, let us speak of the first.

God, in creating man at the beginning, did not place him on earth to suffer, but put him into the paradise of pleasure. He put him in a place of delight, in order that he might pass thence to heaven, where he should enjoy for all eternity the glory of the blessed. But by sin, unhappy man made himself unworthy of the earthly, and closed the gates of the heavenly paradise, willfully condemning himself to death and to everlasting misery.

But the Son of God, in order to rescue man from such a state of ruin, what did he do? From blessed and most happy as he was, he chose to become afflicted and tormented. Our Redeemer could indeed have rescued us from the hands of our enemies without suffering. He could have come on earth and continued in his happiness, leading here below a pleasant life, receiving the honor justly due to him as King and Lord of all. But no: ‘For the sake of the joy which lay ahead of him, he endured the cross.’ (Heb: 12:2).

‘My Father, Thou hast rejected the sacrifices of men, because they were not able to satisfy Thy divine justice for the offenses committed against Thee; Thou hast given me a body, as I requested of Thee; because by enduring in this body all the pains which will accompany me through my life, and shall finally cause my death upon the cross, I purpose to propitiate Thee towards the human race, and thus to gain for myself the love of mankind.’

This was indeed the chief desire of his whole life, that the time of his Passion should arrive, that the redemption of mankind might be completed; for this reason he said on the night preceding his death: ‘I have ardently longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.’ (Luke 22:15). And before this time arrived, he seemed to console himself by saying, ‘There is a baptism I must still receive, and what constraint I am under until it is completed.’ (Luke 12:50).

We, by our sins contributed to make the whole life of our Savior embittered and afflicted. But let us thank his goodness in giving us time to remedy the evil which has been done. How, then, are we to remedy it? By bearing patiently all the crosses which he sends us for our good. And he himself tells us how we can bear these troubles with patience: ‘Put me as a seal upon thy heart.’ (Sg: 8:6). Put upon thy heart the image of me crucified; which means to say, consider my example and the pains which I have suffered for thee, and so shalt thou bear all crosses in peace. It is a virtue peculiar to a Christian to give thanks when in adversity. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Let us go to Jesus Christ, and he will console us, as he has promised to all: ‘Come to me, all you that labor and are burdened and I will refresh you.’ (Mat 11:28). When we have recourse to our Lord, he will either deliver us from our affliction, or he will give us the strength to bear it patiently.

O my dear Redeemer! What would have become of me, what hope could I have of pardon and salvation, if Thou, my Savior, hadst not come down from heaven to save me? I praise Thee, I thank Thee, I love Thee. If these acts of love are cold, because coming from a frozen heart, inflame this poor heart of mine; a heart that has offended Thee, but is now penitent. I consecrate myself entirely to Thee. O most holy Mary! Obtain for me the grace of living always bound to thy Son.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 6: 21st December - Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

Day 6 Morning Prayer: ‘The Eternal Word from being His Own has made Himself Ours.’

The greatest privilege of God, the whole of God, is to be his own, that is, to exist of himself, and to depend on no one. All creatures, however, have everything  they have from God, who has created them and preserves them. And this in such a manner that if God were for a single moment to cease preserving them, they would instantly lose their being and return to nothing. God, on the contrary, because he exists of himself, cannot fail. Nor can there be anyone to destroy him, or to diminish his greatness, his power, or his happiness.

But the Eternal Father has given the Son for us: ‘He delivered Him up for us all.’ (Rom: 8:32).

Has God, then, in giving himself for us, made himself ours? Yes. This God, over whom none besides can rule, has yielded himself captive to love: ‘For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.’ (Jn 3:16).

My God, my Beloved has given himself all to me; it is but reasonable for me to give myself all to my God. So do I on this day offer to Thee, my Savior, my entire will. I know well that You will what is best for me. You have redeemed my soul with the last drop of your blood.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 5: 20th December - Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

‘The Eternal Word from being Strong became Weak.’

O children of Adam! Go on joyfully, be no more faint-hearted. Even though you perceive yourselves weak, ‘Fear not; God himself will come and save you.’ (Isa. 35:4).

God is that strong one who alone can be called strong, because he is strength itself; and whoever is strong derives his strength from him. By a nod he created heaven and earth out of nothing: ‘He spoke and they were made.’ (Ps. 148:5). And did he choose to do so, he could destroy the immense machinery of the universe by a single nod, as he created it.

The Eternal Word, in coming to be made man, wished to conceal his strength. Look at him in the shop at Nazareth, how busily he toils and labors in helping Joseph at his trade. Who can ever attentively consider Jesus, that beautiful youth, fatiguing and exhausting himself to bring into form some rough-hewn piece of wood and not exclaim: But, most sweet youth, art Thou not that God, who by a mere nod didst create the world out of nothing? And how comes it that Thou hast labored now for a whole day, and bathed in sweat, to fashion this piece of wood, yet still Thy work remains unfinished? Who has reduced thee to such a state of weakness? Has a God, then, come to such a pass as this? To make himself loved by men!

Observe him again, at the close of his life bound with cords in the garden, from which he cannot loose himself; tied in the praetorium to a pillar to undergo the scourging; see him with the cross on his shoulders, but too feeble to carry it, and therefore he frequently falls upon the road; see him fixed to the cross with nails, from which he can find no escape; behold him, finally, how, for very exhaustion and weakness, he is already in his agony, drawn near his end, and expires.

He made himself weak, that he might communicate his strength to us, and by this means conquer and subdue the powers of hell. David says that the will to save us and to free us from death is part and property of God’s divine nature. Our God is the God of salvation.

Are we indeed weak? Let us put our trust in Jesus Christ, and we shall be capable of all things: ‘I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13).

Take courage, my children, Jesus Christ says to us; if you are unable to resist your enemies: ‘In this world you will have trouble, but be courageous: I have conquered the world.’ (Jn. 16:33). My conquest was to give you the spoils; avail yourselves now of the arms I leave to you to defend yourselves, for you are to triumph. 

What are the arms which Jesus Christ has left us? They are two, the use of the sacraments and of prayer. Everybody knows that by means of the sacraments, especially of penance and the Holy Eucharist, are imparted to us the graces which our Savior has merited for us; and experience shows us every day that those who frequent the sacraments easily keep themselves in the grace of God. The Holy Eucharist is called bread, the heavenly bread, that we may understand how the Communion preserves the life of the soul, which is divine grace, just as earthly bread preserves the life of the body.

The other grand means of overcoming temptations is prayer offered to God through the merits of Jesus Christ: ‘Amen, Amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you.’ (Jn. 16:23). And this, we see, happens continually; all those who are tempted and have recourse to God, and invoke him through Jesus Christ, invariably come off victorious.

In a word, we find in Jesus Christ all grace, all strength, all help, whenever we have recourse to him. He lowered himself to nothing; he put off his majesty, glory and power, and took on himself ignominies and infirmities, to make over to us his worth and his virtues, so that he might be our light, our justice, our satisfaction, and our ransom: ‘Who is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption.’ (1 Cor.: 1:30).

The lukewarm will and will not; and therefore remain defeated, because they want the resolute will to please God alone. A resolute will overcomes everything; for when a soul determines really to give itself wholly to God, God immediately gives it the hand and strength to surmount all difficulties that may occur in the way of perfection.

Ah! Let us beg Jesus Christ to impart to us that fire which he came on earth to kindle; so that we may no longer find it difficult to undertake great things for God.

My sovereign God and Redeemer. Grant me light and strength on all occasions to have recourse to Thee, and to invoke Thee whenever I am tempted. Grant it me by the merits of Thy Precious Blood. And thou, O Mary, obtain it for me by the love which thou bearest to Jesus Christ.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 4: 19th December - Novena of Christmas, by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

‘The Eternal Word from being Innocent becomes as it were Guilty.’

The Son of God has himself become man, has taken the form of a sinner, and loading his own shoulders, has made full compensation to the divine justice for the penalty merited by men. By the sufferings of his life and death, the opposite claims of justice and mercy have been paid.

But, O Lord, it seems like an injustice to sentence an innocent son to die for the purpose of saving a slave who has offended Thee. Yet no, with God this has not passed for injustice, because the Son made the spontaneous offering of himself to the Father. Behold our loving Redeemer, who to save us chose to suffer death and the punishment deserved by us: ‘Surely he has born our infirmities, and carried our sorrows.’ (Isa. 53:4)

But, asks St Bernard, what have cords and chains to do with Thee O God? St Laurence Justinian replies that the bonds which dragged Jesus Christ to death were not those that were fastened on him by the soldiers, but the love he bore towards men.

O most lovable God! Never cease to enkindle more and more in my heart the flames and fiery darts of love. Mary, my Mother; assist a sinner who desires to prove faithful to his God!

(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 3: 18th December - Novena of Christmas, by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

Day 3 ‘The Eternal Word from being Lord became a Servant.’

Behold Jesus, obeying with ready submission, a simple Virgin and a man in the poor cottage of Nazareth: at one time smoothing the wood to be worked upon by Joseph, at another time collecting the scattered shavings for fuel, then in sweeping the house, fetching water from the well.

Jesus showed his obedience by his submission to them. A God to serve! A God to sweep the house! A God to work! How the mere thought of this should inflame us all and make us burn with love!

Subsequently, when our Savior went forth to preach, he made himself the servant of all: ‘The Son of Man has not come to be served, but to serve.’

Behold finally how the Lord of all submits as an obedient subject to the unjust sentence of Pilate. Our Redeemer, in order to rescue us from the slavery of the devil and from death, chose to become a servant, to be nailed to the cross, and there in the end to lay down his life in a sea of sorrow and ignominy.

Oh my Jesus! Thou has been pleased to become a servant for love of me, to release me from the chains of hell. Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 2: 17th December - Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

‘The Eternal Word being Great becomes Little.’

David, contemplating the divine greatness, and seeing that he could not and never would be able to comprehend it, could only say, ‘O Lord, who is like to Thee?’

Behold, then, the Immensity become a little infant, whom the heavens cannot contain: see him imprisoned in poor rags, and laid in a narrow manger on a bundle of straw, which was at once his only bed and pillow. A God Almighty so tightly wrapped in swathing-bands that he cannot stir! A God who knows all things, made mute and speechless! A God who rules heaven and earth needing to be carried in the arms! A God who feeds all men and animals, himself having need of a little milk to support him! A God who consoles the afflicted, and is the joy of paradise, himself weeps and moans and has to be comforted by another!

Ah my Lord! Who was it that drew Thee from heaven to be born in a stable? Who snatched Thee from Thy throne above the stars, and put Thee to lie on a little straw? It was all the work of love. Thus would he be born who willed to be loved and not feared.

And how comes it, then, that we are so ungrateful towards God, the same God who has bestowed his whole self upon us, who has descended from heaven to earth to save us and to be loved by us? Come, then, let us love Jesus Christ, who has sought in the midst of such sufferings to attach our hearts to him.

And for love of Jesus Christ, we ought to love our neighbors, even those who have offended us: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you... that you may be the children if your Father who is in heaven. (Matt 5:44). And of this he himself  set us the example on the cross, praying his Eternal Father to forgive those who were crucifying him.

And how can we, sinners as we are, despair of pardon, when we think of Jesus Christ? For this very object the Eternal Word humbled himself so far as to take human flesh, that we might procure our pardon from God: ‘I am come, not to call the just, but sinners.’ (Matt 9:13). 

Let not, then, the sinner be afraid, provided he will be no more a sinner, but will love Jesus Christ. Let him not be dismayed, but have full trust. If he abhor sin, and seek after God, let him not be sad, but full of joy: ‘Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.’ (Ezech 18:21).

A tear of repentance, one act of heart-felt contrition, is enough to appease the Infant Jesus. Approach, then, to Him while he is a little one. He has put off his divine majesty, and appears as a child to inspire us with more courage to approach his feet.

O my sweet, amiable and holy Child. In time past, it is true, I have not known Thee; heedless of Thy love, I have only sought my own gratifications, making no account whatever of Thee and of Thy friendship. But now I am conscious of the wrong I have done; I am sorry for it with my whole heart. Forgive me for the sake of Thy infancy. I promise never to leave Thee. O Mary! O great Mother of the Incarnate Word! Thou art the mother of perseverance. Help me, then, and help me always; with thy aid, O my hope! I trust to be faithful to my God till death.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)

Day 1: 16th December - Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

‘The Eternal Word is made Man’

Let us consider on this first day how the Eternal Word had no other end in becoming man than to inflame us with his divine love: “Losing man, I deem that I have nothing; I consider that I have lost all, since my delight was to be with him.” God, for the love he bears to men, seems beside himself. 

His justice says: “I perish if Adam die not.” His mercy on the other hand says: “I perish if he does not obtain forgiveness.” In this contest the Lord decides, that in order to deliver man, who was guilty of death, some innocent must die: “Let one die who is no debtor to death.”

The angels, the cherubim, the seraphim, all are silent, not one replies. One voice alone is heard, that of the Eternal Word, who says: “Lo, here am I; send Me.”

And thus behold Jesus in the womb of Mary; having now made his entry into the world in all humility and obedience.

In order to draw towards him the affections of men, he clothed himself completely after the human fashion, and appeared made man. The divine love for man was extreme, and so it had been from all eternity. But heretofore it had not appeared how great and inconceivable it was:

“Oh man! Behold, it is nothing but the love of thee that has brought me on earth to seek after thee. Wilt thou flee from me? Stay with me, love me; do not avoid me, for I greatly love thee.”

You have witnessed the love which God has borne for you; how long shall it be before God shall know by experience the love you bear him?

Whoever loves God has nothing to fear. Come, then, let us once for all make the resolution  to give the tribute of our love to a God who has so sincerely loved us. 

Let us  have recourse to the foremost of God’s lovers - Mary his Mother, who was so inflamed with his holy love that the devils had not the boldness even to tempt her. All who love and address themselves to her will be inflamed by her with the same love; she will make them resemble herself.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)