St. Andrew Advent Prayer

A friend sent me the following prayer.

Advent Prayer:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment when the Son of God was born of the most pure virgin in Bethlehem at midnight, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe O my God, to hear my prayers and grant my desires, through the merits of our savior Jesus Christ and of his virgin mother. Amen.

I've seen the prayer called the St. Andrew Christmas Prayer, the St. Andrew Advent Prayer, and the St. Andrew Novena . According to the devotion, one is supposed to recite the prayer fifteen times a day from the Feast of St. Andrew (November 30) until Christmas, and if one does, one will obtain what one has been praying for.

I like devotions that help us focus on God, and prayers like this can help one's soul. I think the actual praying is far more important than the "favor" one is seeking to obtain. It's too easy to get caught up in focusing on the getting, and prayers then become more like superstitious actions.

But I will say the prayer between now and Christmas as it is something my Fraternity is doing. And I will say it while praying for something that is close to my heart. But I'm not looking forward to it suddenly happening December 26 the way I want it to happen. If and when and how it comes about is up to God.

I'm also interested in their prayer because St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. I have a fondness for things Scottish - except haggis!

Pax et bonum