Day 1 of the Novena of Aguinaldos

Plus the Tradition of Las Posadas

The Novena of Aguinaldos (aguinaldos means "bonuses" or "benefits") is a beautiful Advent novena tradition popular in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. It was published by Fernando de Jesús Larrea, a Franciscan priest who preached in Colombia and Ecuador…

The Novena of Aguinaldos

Make the sign of the Cross.

Prayer for Every Day

O Most Gracious God of infinite love, You loved humankind so much, You gave us in Your Son the best pledge of Your love, so that Jesus, made human in the womb of a Virgin and born in a manger, would be our health and remedy. I, on behalf of all humanity, give You infinite thanks for such a sovereign benefit. In return for this great gift, I offer You the poverty, simplicity, humility and other virtues of Your Incarnate Son. I implore You by His divine merits, the discomforts He suffered when He was born, and sweet tears He shed in the manger, that You prepare our hearts with profound humility, a burning love and with total disdain of all that is material and earthly, so that the newborn Jesus will find in our hearts His crib and abode forever. Amen.

Pray three Glory Bes

Daily Consideration

Day 1: December 16

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).” In this profound depth of eternity, the Son of God reposed before He humbled Himself to descend to earth and visibly take possession of the grotto of Bethlehem. The life of the Eternal Word in the bosom of His Father was a wonderful life and yet, sublime mystery! He seeks an earthly dwelling not because there was something lacking in His infinite happiness, but rather His Infinite Mercy longed for the redemption and salvation of humankind, and without Him it could not come to pass. The sin of Adam offended God and that infinite offense could not be forgiven but by the merits of the same God. The fallen children of Adam were disobedient and deserved an eternal punishment. In order to save mankind and satisfy their sin, it was necessary that the Eternal Word take human form and in obedience to the will of His Father, atone by His suffering and death for the disobedience, pride, ingratitude and rebelliousness of man. And so, with burning desire to save mankind “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14)” in order to redeem guilty humanity.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

O Heavenly Queen, by your great virtues and especially for your humility, you merited God’s favor to choose you for His mother. I beg you to prepare my soul and the souls of all those who at this time are praying this Novena for the spiritual birth of your beloved Son. Oh, sweet Mother! Instill in me something of that profound contemplation and great tenderness you felt while you awaited His coming, so that you make us less unworthy to see Him, love Him, and adore Him for all eternity. Amen.

Pray three Hail Marys

Prayer to Saint Joseph

O great St. Joseph, husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus! I give infinite thanks to God for having chosen you for such a great ministry and for having bestowed upon you all the gifts proportionate to such greatness. I beseech you, for the love you had for the Divine Child, that you embrace my earnest desires to see Him and receive Him sacramentally, while we wait to see Him and enjoy Him in His Divine Essence in heaven. Amen.

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be

The Memorare to the Child Jesus

Remember, O Sweet Holy Child Jesus, that You have said to Venerable Sister Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament, and to all of Your devotees, these words so full of consolation for our poor, burdened and suffering humanity: “Draw from this Divine Heart. Ask all that you desire through the merits of My Holy Childhood. Nothing will be refused to you." Full of confidence in Thee, O Jesus, Who are Truth itself, we come to make known all our misery to you. Help us to lead a Holy life in order to attain a Blessed Eternity. Grant us through the infinite Merits of Your Incarnation and of Your Childhood, the graces of which we are most in need. No, we shall not be deceived in our hope. We abandon ourselves to Thee, O Omnipotent Child, in virtue of Your Divine Promise, You will favorably receive and deign to grant our prayer. Amen.

Las Posadas -- the word means "Inns" -- is a hundreds of years-old Advent tradition cherished in Spain, in Mexico and other Latin American countries, and in North America where immigrants from those countries are prevalent. It's a sort of dramatic re-enactment of the journey Joseph and Mary made to Bethlehem, seeking a place to stay, but being turned away until they finally found shelter where animals were kept. It takes place over the course of nine nights, the length of a novena -- from December 16 to Christmas Eve (Noche Buena in Spanish).

Nine houses (or eight houses and a church) are chosen in advance. Then, each night, a couple dressed as Joseph and Mary -- often with Mary on a donkey -- are accompanied by musicians and followers -- some of them bearing candles, torches, or religious figurines, some dressed as shepherds or angels -- as they visit one of the houses. Once this group -- the peregrinos -- arrives at the evening's designated house, they have a dramatic exchange in plaintive song with the people on the inside -- the posaderos -- who represent Bethlehem's inn-keepers. The posaderos first reject the peregrinos, and then finally offer them a place to stay.

Once the peregrinos are admitted, everyone sings the final verses together with a different melody and a changed, upbeat tempo, and then a party is had: traditional foods are eaten (tamales, bunuelos, chocolate, biscochitos -- a cinnamon and anise-flavored shortbread cookie, etc.), songs are sung, and a pinata in the shape of a seven-pointed star is smashed open by the children present. The star represents the star that guided the Magi; its seven points represent the seven deadly sins, and the stick used to smash it open is symbolic of virtue. The blindfold that the children wear while hitting the pinata is said to represent faith, and the candies that come pouring out are symbolic of God's graces raining down on us.

On the last night, a church instead of a home might be visited, with Mass following (some attend Mass on each night). And note that in some places, the peregrinos are refused each night but the last, and it's only then that a party takes place.¹

1. https://fisheaters.com/lasposadas.html