Merry Christmas from the Urban Monks!

Merry Christmas from the Urban Monks

Making the Nine Days Before Christmas Spiritually Special

(by Joe Colletti, PhD)

Historically, the nine days before Christmas have had special spiritual significance for Christians around the world. In Italy, the nine days before Christmas consist of a Novena that focuses on specific scriptures and prayers about the birth of Christ. In the Philippines, the nine days are known as the Simbang Gabi during which Catholic churches around the country open their doors right before dawn each day to welcome the faithful to the Simbang Gabi mass that helps people prepare for Christmas. Las Posadas is an evening procession that occurs each day during the nine days before Christmas and is popular in Mexico and the Southwest United States and focuses on the search for shelter by Mary and Joseph as they journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

There are several other spiritual practices that are practiced within the United States that may make the nine days before Christmas spiritually special for you and include:

Stations of The Crib

The Stations of the Crib recall the events leading up to, and immediately following, the birth of Christ. This spiritual practice is based upon the devotional idea of the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Crib can vary. Those that have been included in this devotional contain messianic prophecies found in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Micah and the primary events leading up to the birth of the Christ Child as told by Matthew and Luke. Please know that the last station has been expanded and consists of the added practice of Lectio Divina and the devotion ends with a special Christmas prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson. Click here for the Stations of the Crib.

The O Antiphons

The O Antiphons are traditionally sung or recited during Vespers from December 17 to December 23. Each O antiphon is a reference to Christ. More specifically, each one highlights a title for the Messiah that relates to a messianic prophecy found in the book of Isaiah. Click here for the O Antiphons.

Praying the Christmas Prayers of the Mystics

Mysticism is a passionate love affair between the mystic and God. Such passion has been expressed in prayers by mystics that are known to us today. The language is often intimate, sweet, and tender. In his "nativity prayer," St. Bernard of Clairvaux affectionately prays

"Caress us with Your tiny hands,

embrace us with Your tiny arms

and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries."

St. Gertrude the Great, in her prayer entitled "Greetings to the Child Jesus," is equally sweet, tender, and intimate as she opens with

"Hail, most loving little Jesus, sweetest love, far above all created love!
I greet Thee, and in the desires of all Christendom I embrace Thee.
Hail, most charming little Jesus, noble Child of Nazareth,
full rose of Jericho, blooming flower from Heaven!
Draw our hearts to Thyself and refresh them with Thy sweetness."

You are encouraged to pray these prayers with the same tender, sweet, and intimate spirit expressed by these mystics. Click here for the prayers.

For more information about the spiritual practices of the Urban Monks,
please visit our web site at www.urban-monk.org
or contact Joe Colletti, PhD at joecolletti@urban-monk.org.