THE "PILGRIMS OF LOVE" CATHOLIC MISSION Jesus' Divine Childhood is at the center of the spirituality revealed to the Pilgrims of Love in the person of Marino Restrepo during his mystical experience after being kidnapped in Colombia. This event turned his life around and transformed him into a missionary of the Catholic Church, leaving behind all of his relations with the world and consecrating his life completely to the Lord. The devotion to Jesus' Divine Childhood during Christmas is a tradition that goes back many years in our Catholic Church. It begins on December 16 and ends on December 24 at midnight with His birth during the Eucharist celebration of Christmas Eve. This tradition has been lost in many countries and for this reason "The Pilgrims of Love", through all the evangelization missions that Marino Restrepo has carried out in more than 21 countries, are promoting this tradition so that the Novena of Jesus' Divine Childhood continues to be at the center of the activities at Christmas time in our Church, as a call for placing our hearts within the Sanctity of the Family from Nazareth, gathering all families around the stable, thus recovering all the graces and the innocence that have been lost in us due to the materialistic world we live in, indifferent to God. The Devotion of the Divine Childhood has been spread out by the Church through different advocations, such as the Infant Jesus of Prague; the Divine Child of Cebu; Philippines; the Divine Child of Atocha, in Spain and Mexico; the Divine Pilgrim Child of Valladolid, Spain; the Divine Child from the Twentieth of July in Bogota, Colombia and others. All of these devotions are joined together in the Christmas novena where the Nativity is celebrated. The Pilgrims of Love invites you to take part in this devotion and to intercede for the right to life, and to pray for all aborted, abused, and starving children, and those from rich families who are in danger of growing up in the darkness because of their parents’ sin. ¡¡¡Blessed be the DIVINE CHILD JESUS!!! EVERY DAY PRAYER Most benign God of infinite mercy, who loved us so much that you gave us in your Son the best garment of your Love, so that after became man, He would be born in a stable for our health and remedy; we give you thanks for so immense benefit. In return, we offer you Lord our sincere effort to make this your world and ours, a more just one and faithful to the great commandment of loving each other as brothers and sisters. Grant us Lord your help so that we can attain it. We ask you that this Christmas, a feast of peace and happiness, be encouraging to the whole Christian family, so that by living as brothers and sisters, we search for paths of truth, justice, love and peace. Amen. REFLECTIONS FOR EVERY DAY (Please see the texts below) ¡¡¡Blessed be the DIVINE CHILD JESUS!!!
PRAY TO THE CHILD JESUS Dear Child Jesus, Christmas is the presence of your love in our Christian family. It is the memory of your birth among us. Christmas is the certainty that the God of heaven and earth is our Father, because You are our Brother. That this gathering next to your stable increases our faith in your kindness, makes us commit ourselves to truly live as brothers and sisters and gives us courage to overcome injustice, to destroy hatred and to sow peace. Teach us to understand that where there is love and fraternity, You are there and Christmas is there. Pray one Our Father.
PRAYER TO THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN MARY Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, we ask you for all families of the world; make each home a source of understanding, of kindness and of true family life. That the Christmas season gathering us around the stable where your Son was born, joins us in love, makes us forget the trespasses among us and gives us the simplicity to recognize the mistakes that we have made. Our Mother, intercede for us. Amen. Pray a Holy Mary.
PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH Most Holy Joseph, Mary’s husband and adoptive father of our Lord Jesus, you were chosen to stand in the place of a father in the home of Nazareth. Help family parents, so that we are always at home the image of the Celestial Father following in your example; that we faithfully meet the responsibility to educate and bring up our children, constantly giving them the best of ourselves. Also, help our children understand and correspond to the effort that we make for them. Saint Joseph, role model for husbands and parents, intercede for us. Pray one Our Father, Holy Mary and Glory Be PETITIONS Made spontaneously by some of participating people.
JOYS My sweet Jesus, my adored Child, Come to our souls, come, don't take so long. Oh light of heavens sun of eternal rays let us see your splendor in the middle of the darkness. Oh Divine Child, come to teach us the wisdom that makes true sages. My sweet Jesus, my adored Child, Come to our souls, come, don't take so long. Of weak help, of aching care, Light of the exiled. Make of our earth that suffers and yearns, a world that is fair of brothers and sisters. My sweet Jesus, my adored Child, Come to our souls, come, don't take so long. Child of the stable, our God and Brother, You know and understand the pain of us humans; let us always remember when pain and anguish we suffer, that You have saved us.
My sweet Jesus, my adored Child, Come to our souls, come, don't take so long. Come that Mary is already extending her arms, where her Child may be seen very soon indeed; Come that Joseph is already, preparing with yearning a tabernacle of your love. My sweet Jesus, my adored Child, Come to our souls, come, don't take so long. You became a child in a family full of kindness and human warmth. Let the homes here congregated live the great commitment of Christian love. My sweet Jesus, my adored Child, Come to our souls, come, don't take so long. You are our life, you are our north, and you are the way that leads us to God. By loving ourselves we will have you present while waiting, Our Lord, for your return. My sweet Jesus, my adored Child, Come to our souls, come, don't take so long.
First Day
2 Samuel 7:17 –29 817Nathan related all these words and this whole revelation to David. 18King David then went in, sat down in Yahweh’s presence and said: ‘Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my lineage, for you to have led me as far as this?19Yet, to you, Lord Yahweh, this seemed too little, and now you extend your promises for your servant’s family into the distant future. Such is human destiny, Lord Yahweh.20What more can David say to you, since you, Lord Yahweh, know all about your servant?21Because of your promise and since you were so inclined, you have had the generosity to reveal this to your servant.22That is why you are great, Lord Yahweh; there is no one like you, no God but you alone, as everything that we have heard confirms.23Is there another people on earth like your people, like Israel, whom a god proceeded to redeem, to make them his people and to make a name for himself by performing great and terrible things on their behalf, by driving out nations and their gods before his people?—24for you constituted your people Israel your own people for ever and you, Yahweh, became their God.25‘Now, Yahweh God, may the promise which you have made for your servant and for his family stand firm forever as you have said,26so that your name will be exalted for ever and people will say, “Israel’s God is Yahweh Sabaoth.” Your servant David’s dynasty will be secure before you,27since you, Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of Israel, have disclosed to your servant, “I am going to build you a dynasty.” Hence, your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you.28Yes, Lord Yahweh, you are God indeed, your words are true and you have made this generous promise to your servant.29What is more, you have deigned to bless your servant’s dynasty, so that it may remain for ever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken; and may your servant’s dynasty be blessed with your blessing for ever.’
Second Day Luke. 1:5-25
The birth of John the Baptist foretold 5In the days of King Herod of Judea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron.6Both were upright in the sight of God and impeccably carried out all the commandments and observances of the Lord.7But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years.8Now it happened that it was the turn of his section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God9when it fell to him by lot, as the priestly custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there.10And at the hour of incense all the people were outside, praying.11Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense.12The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear.13But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you shall name him John.14He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth,15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,16and he will bring back many of the Israelites to the Lord their God.17With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the good sense of the upright, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’18Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I know this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.’19The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel, who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.20Look! Since you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.’21Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long.22When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them and remained dumb.23When his time of service came to an end he returned home.24Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept to herself, saying,25‘The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.’
Day 3rd Luke. 1:26-36
The annunciation 26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,27to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.28He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you.’29She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean,30but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour.31Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.32He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David;33he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ 34Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?’35The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.
Day 4th Lucas. 1, 39-56
The visitation
39Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah.40She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.41Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.43Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord?44Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.45Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’ The Magnificat 46And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord47and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;48because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant. Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed,49for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name,50and his faithful love extends age after age to those who fear him.51He has used the power of his arm, he has routed the arrogant of heart.52He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly.53He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty.54He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his faithful love55—according to the promise he made to our ancestors—of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.56Mary stayed with her some three months and then went home.
The circumcision of John the Baptist 59Now it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,60but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said, ‘he is to be called John.’61They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name,’62and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called.63The father asked for a writing–tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished.64At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God.65All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea.66All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him. The Benedictus
Fifth Day Luke 1:57-80 The birth of John the Baptist and visit of the neighbours 57The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son;58and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had lavished on her his faithful love, they shared her joy.
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:68Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people, he has set them free,69and he has established for us a saving power in the House of his servant David,70just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times,71that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all those who hate us,72and show faithful love to our ancestors, and so keep in mind his holy covenant.73This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,74that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,75to serve him in holiness and uprightness in his presence, all our days.76And you, little child, you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare a way for him,77to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,78because of the faithful love of our God in which the rising Sun has come from on high to visit us,79to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow dark as death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. The hidden life of John the Baptist 80Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit grew strong. And he lived in the desert until the day he appeared openly to Israel. Day 6th Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph adopts Jesus as his son 18This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.19Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally.20He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.21She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’22Now all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:23Look! the virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means ‘God–is–with–us’.24When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home;25he had not had intercourse with her when she gave birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.
Seventh Day Micah 5:1-3 1But you (Bethlehem) Ephrathah, the least of the clans of Judah, from you will come for me a future ruler of Israel whose origins go back to the distant past, to the days of old.2Hence Yahweh will abandon them only until she who is in labour gives birth, and then those who survive of his race will be reunited to the Israelites.3He will take his stand and he will shepherd them with the power of Yahweh, with the majesty of the name of his God, and they will be secure, for his greatness will extend henceforth to the most distant parts of the country.
Eighth Day Matthew 2:1-12 The visit of the Magi 1After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east2asking, ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’3When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem.4He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born.5They told him, ‘At Bethlehem in Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:6And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.’ 7Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared8and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, ‘Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’9Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was.10The sight of the star filled them with delight,11and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.12But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
Day 9th Luke 2:6-20 6While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, 8and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. The angels and shepherds 8Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. 8Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. 9The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. 10The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people 11For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. 20Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.