Traditional Catholic prayer
Prayer Before the Crib
This prayer before the Christmas crib adores the Word made flesh and recalls the faith of Joseph, the love of Mary, and the simplicity of the shepherds.
Source: With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 672.
I adore Thee, O Word incarnate, true Son of God from all eternity, and true Son of Mary ever Virgin in the fulness of time. When I adore Thy divine person, and the humanity united to Thy divinity, I venerate the poor manger which welcomed Thee when an infant, and which was truly the throne of Thy love. I prostrate myself before it with the simplicity of the shepherds, with the faith of Joseph, with the love of Mary. I bow down in veneration of this precious memorial of our salvation with the same spirit of mortification, poverty, and humility with which Thou, though the Lord of heaven and earth, didst choose for Thyself a manger wherein to lay Thy tender infant limbs. And Thou, O Lord, Who in Thine infancy didst deign to lay Thyself in this manger, vouchsafe also to pour into my heart a drop of that joy to which the sight of Thy lovely childhood, and the miracles which accompanied Thy birth, gave rise. By that holy birth, I now implore Thee to grant to all the world peace and goodwill, and in the name of the whole human race I render thanks and honor to God the Father, and to God the Holy Spirit, who with Thee live and reign one God world without end. Amen.
About this prayer
Prayer source
With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 672.
View the printed prayer page.About our prayer sources- What it is
- This prayer before the Christmas crib adores the Word made flesh and recalls the faith of Joseph, the love of Mary, and the simplicity of the shepherds.
- Prayer intention
- The Incarnation, humility, and peace.
- When to pray
- Before a Nativity scene or during Christmas prayer at home.
- Languages
- English
- English prayer source
- With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 672. View the historical source. View the printed prayer page. Novena Regina provides the explanations above. The prayer text follows the source named here.
Traditional Catholic prayer
Prayer Before the Crib
Source: With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 672.
I adore Thee, O Word incarnate, true Son of God from all eternity, and true Son of Mary ever Virgin in the fulness of time. When I adore Thy divine person, and the humanity united to Thy divinity, I venerate the poor manger which welcomed Thee when an infant, and which was truly the throne of Thy love. I prostrate myself before it with the simplicity of the shepherds, with the faith of Joseph, with the love of Mary. I bow down in veneration of this precious memorial of our salvation with the same spirit of mortification, poverty, and humility with which Thou, though the Lord of heaven and earth, didst choose for Thyself a manger wherein to lay Thy tender infant limbs. And Thou, O Lord, Who in Thine infancy didst deign to lay Thyself in this manger, vouchsafe also to pour into my heart a drop of that joy to which the sight of Thy lovely childhood, and the miracles which accompanied Thy birth, gave rise. By that holy birth, I now implore Thee to grant to all the world peace and goodwill, and in the name of the whole human race I render thanks and honor to God the Father, and to God the Holy Spirit, who with Thee live and reign one God world without end. Amen.