These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

Novena de Aguinaldos (The Christmas Novena)

In the first Reading from the Mass of today (December 16, Monday of the Third Week of Advent), we find that mysterious prophecy of Balaam:

I see him, though not now;

I behold him, though not near:


A star shall advance from Jacob,


and a staff shall rise from Israel. (Num 24:17)

We have seen His Star, and we know that the Lord is near. Tonight, throughout the Latino world, we begin the last part of Advent preparing to celebrate the birth of the Lord. In Mexico, they celebrate Las Posadas. Here in Colombia, we begin the Novena de Aguinaldos, the Novena for Christmas.

I invited my whole Colombian family to come to my house tonight to begin the Novena. They will bring the maracas to accompany the singing of the Gozos (the Joys):

Los Gozos al Niño
¡Ven, ven, ven,
Ven a nuestras almas, Niñito,
Ven, ven, ven,
Ven a nuestras almas, Niñito,
Ven a nuestras almas.
No tardes tanto, no tardes tanto,
Niñito, ven, ven ven!

The Joys
Come, come, come,
Come to our longing souls, Lord Jesus,
Come, come, come,
Come to our longing souls, Lord Jesus,
Come to our longing souls,
Don’t make us wait, don’t make us wait,
Lord Jesus, come, come, come!

If you would like to hear the Novena in Spanish and hear the Gozos, please touch the link below:

Novena de Aguinaldos