Last year, inspired by this post , and this one, and another like them, I resolved to try to make a novena candle for the novena before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. My candle is a plain white pillar candle. I used a butter knife to hollow out a "cave" at its base. Inside the cave, there rests a tiny beeswax Baby Jesus. The pure white candle hollow is covered with layers of white tulle pinned into place. White silk flowers and pearls embellish the tulle. We'll light the candle when we say the novena prayer. On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception I will pull the pins and reveal the Babe in the pure, white womb. Then we'll have the candle with the Babe to enjoy for the remainder of the season. Many thanks to the ladies who suggested this craft--my children are delighted and inspired.
Opening Prayer
God, Our Father, you have given us Mary whom
we honor as the Immaculate Conception. You
have favored her with holiness and purity,
freeing her from the stain of sin, to be
chosen as the Mother of Jesus. Through her
intercession and protection, may we live our
lives in holiness and in complete trust of
your loving plan for us. Amen.
Day 1
O Blessed Virgin Mary, from the beginning
of time God chose you, sinless and full of
grace, to be the Mother of Jesus. Because
of your unselfish “fiat,” you are for
us the example of perfect faith and
obedience to what God is calling us to do.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
help us to be open to the Word of God
in our daily lives. Hail Mary, full
of grace…
Day 2
O Mary, Mother of God, we honor you for
your submission to the unfolding mystery of
salvation history. From Bethlehem to
Calvary, you were present to Jesus as
faithful mother and courageous disciple,
sharing in the mysteries of his life.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
may we be for others a living presence of
God’s joy and compassion. Hail Mary, full of
grace…
Day 3
O Mary of Nazareth, you were filled with
the light of the Holy Spirit as you prepared
for the birth of Jesus. You became the
Mother of God and the Mother of the
Redeemer, our mother and intercessor for the
People of God, his Church.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
may we wait in hopeful expectation this
Advent for the coming of the Lord Jesus in
our hearts. Hail Mary, full of grace…
Day 4
O Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, you were
in a sense the first tabernacle for Jesus.
In your womb his Sacred Heart beat under
your Immaculate Heart. You are the Vessel
of Honor, the Ark of the Covenant, and Gate
of Heaven. Filled with grace, you give
Jesus to us that we may bring him to others.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
may we have a deep and reverent love
for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Hail Mary,
full of grace…
Day 5
O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, your heart was
pierced with a sword as you stood on Calvary
beneath the cross of your Son. Only a
mother could experience such deep pain and
anguish to see her only son die such a
death.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
may we acknowledge that suffering can become
for us redemptive and truly identifies us as
one with Jesus. Hail Mary, full of grace…
Day 6
O Mary, our Life, our Sweetness and our
Hope, from age to age you are called blessed
among all women. You, above all others,
have a deep communion with God. You are the
model of virtue, prayer and discipleship.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
lead us into a prayerful and deeply
authentic relationship with Jesus so that we
may be holy and reflect his goodness to
others. Hail Mary, full of grace…
Day 7
O Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, your
holiness and obedience changed the course of
history through the redemptive power of your
Son. You give us the example of
discipleship and what it means to witness to
the Way, the Truth and the Life—Jesus.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
we pray for holiness, especially as lived
through the priesthood and consecrated life.
Hail Mary, full of grace…
Day 8
O Mary, Mother of Divine Grace, you
intercede for us and lead us to your Son.
Jesus said to John, “Behold, your Mother.”
You are our spiritual mother, who draws us
ever closer to your Son.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
may our devotion to you increase our love
for Jesus. Hail Mary, full of grace…
Day 9
O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, you gave Jesus,
the Eternal Word made flesh, to the world.
What a privilege was yours—to bring him
forth into the world so that all peoples and
nations may be drawn to him, Incarnate
Wisdom.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
may the Gospel of Jesus Christ, reach the
farthest ends of the earth. Help us to grow
in knowledge and love of the Blessed
Trinity. Hail Mary, full of grace.
Concluding Prayer
Mary, we honor you as the
Mother of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. O
Mary of the Immaculate Conception, we
delight in your singular privilege of being
born with the fullness of grace, completely
preserved from the stain of original sin.
Blessed among all women, you are especially
favored by God. Confident in that honor we
place before you our needs and intentions
(name the intention). Through your
intercession, may it be brought to
fulfillment. In gratitude for your motherly
concern, O Mary Immaculate, patroness of the
United States of America, we pray:
You are all beautiful, O Mary.
The original stain is not in thee.
You are the glory of Jerusalem,
The joy of Israel,
The great honor of our race,
The advocate of sinners.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen
(Taken from
the Latin hymn: Tota Pulchra es, Maria!)
Jennifer at Cozy as Spring is thinking about teacher's gifts. We are, too! Today is the day to assemble gift bags for the dance teachers. In each bag, Mary Beth will place a bar of saintly soap, a sachet of garden lavender buds, and a tin of homemade healing salve. It's a bag in keeping with the handmade pledge. The soaps are not handmade in our home, but they are handmade. I think the teachers will be very happy at this improvement over last year's soaps, which were made in our home:-). Trish's soaps are truly amazing and I think it still counts as homemade. I can only imagine how wonderful her Canadian home must smell.
We have a small crockpot that came with my large slow cooker. I think it's intended purpose was to keep dips warm.We've never used it for that. Truthfully, we'd never used it at all until last year when we discovered it to be perfect for making salve. 
day.
Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of holiness, teach me your
ways of gentleness and strength. Hear my humble prayer offered with
heartfelt confidence to beg this favor......
