A Novena to St Joseph : Day 3 - The Nativity of Christ

3) The Nativity (a)

In Bethlehem Whom, a Holy Seed,

Thou didst bring forth with gladness;

In that thy wondrous labour freed

From human pangs and sadness. Hail Mary.

Quem in civitate Bethlehem

laetando genuisti:

neque dolorem aliquem

gignendo pertulisti. Ave Maria.

Who was born by thee rejoicing in the town of Bethlehem; and thou had no pains of labour at His birth.

Gospel account

No room in Bethlehem. J-J Tissot.

It came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. All went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

Notes

As the crow flies, it is around 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Estimates vary as to the distance because it is possible that Joseph chose a route avoiding the land of the Samaritans. Taking into account Mary’s advanced state of pregnancy, and the need to plan the route so as to include wells for the travellers and any donkey, it may be that the journey took 7 or as many as 9 days.

3) The Nativity (b)

Scion of Royal David's line,

New-born thou didst adore Him;

Whose nurturing breast with love benign

A wailing Infant bore Him. Hail Mary.

Quem regis David genere

mox natum adorasti;

ac vagientem ubere

virgineo lactasti. Ave Maria.

Christ's birth. J-J Tissot

Thou didst adore thy new little baby, born of the family of King David; and thou didst nurture the mewling infant at thy virginal breast .

Gospel account

And it came to pass that, when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son.

3) The Nativity (c)

Whom in the manger thou didst lay,

With swathing bands enfolding,

And Him to cherish, day by day,

No pains or care withholding. Hail Mary.

Quem pannis fasciis

constrictum reclinasti;

et suis obsequiis

te totam mancipasti. Ave Maria.

Thou didst wrap Him tightly in swaddling clothes and didst lay Him (in His crib); and Thou gavest Thyself entirely to His service.

St. Joseph was present at this turning point in the history of mankind, when the promised Redeemer was born in the silence and seclusion of a simple stable. Once Mary had given birth in all modesty and privacy, Joseph would have been at hand to offer his help; he would have been the first man to set eyes upon the little Baby, the Word made Flesh; he, too, would have wondered at this adorable Infant, adorable like all tiny babies but adorable too as the very Word of God Incarnate.

Adoremus in æternum Sanctissimum Infantem!

Prayer asking St Joseph to be one's companion and guide in this life

Oratio, ut S. Ioseph in via vitae huius ducem et comitem impetremus.  

O SAINT JOSEPH, just as thou as father and mentor didst most faithfully guide Jesus Christ during His boyhood and adolescence through His journeys in this life, I beseech thee to assist me in the wanderings of my life as just such a companion and guide. Never permit me to turn aside from the path of God's commandments. Be for me a protection in adversity, and a solace in hardship, until I finally arrive in the land of the living, where I may rejoice forever with thee, with the most holy spouse Mary, and with all the saints in my God Jesus. Amen.

O S. IOSEPH! qui tanquam pater et manuductor Christum Iesum in pueritia et iuventute per omnes peregrinationis humanæ vias fidelissime deduxisti: et mihi obsecro in vitae meæ peregrinatione tanquam comes et ductor assiste, nec unquam permitte me a via mandatorum Dei declinare; sis in adversis præsidium, in ærumnis solatium, donec tandem ad terram viventium perveniam, ubi tecum et sanctissima sponsa tua Maria, omnibusque Sanctis æternum in Deo Iesu meo exultem. Amen.

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.