March 29—Week 1 | This is the week that Jesus became Incarnate in the Blessed Virgin’s womb. Through a
biological mystery that no earthly person will ever fully understand, the power of the Holy Spirit
overshadowed Mary and caused her to conceive. How fortunate we all are that she said yes.
Jesus in the womb, Hear our prayers!
April 5—Week 2 | Though Mary does not yet feel our savior inside her, he is growing rapidly! One single divine cell
becomes two, then four, and eight. Jesus, looking like a tiny ball, implants himself in Mary’s
uterus this week. Through this bond, she will provide for all his needs. Jesus of the womb, Hear
our prayers!
April 12—Week 3 | Jesus is now two circular rows of cells which contain all the nutrients he will need until the
placenta forms. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
April 19—Week 4 | The placenta which connects Jesus to his mother is now fully formed, but what is far more
exciting is that his Sacred Heart, so full of love for humanity, is beginning to develop. Jesus of
the womb, Hear our prayers!
April 26—Week 5 | Things are picking up! Jesus is rapidly developing a nervous system. Beginnings of a digestive
system and respiratory system are in place, and he even has small buds where his arms and legs
will grow. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
May 3—Week 6 | Jesus’ mouth, nostrils, ears, and eyes are becoming more defined this week, and his lungs are
growing at a notable pace. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
May 10—Week 7 | Those precious little fingers and toes are forming this week! Pigment has begun to develop in
the eyes that will look on so many with profound love. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
May 17—Week 8 | The tip of our Lord’s little nose has formed this week, as well as his bottom. He is still very
fragile at a length of just under an inch and weighing only one tenth of an ounce. Jesus of the
womb, Hear our prayers!
May 24—Week 9 | By the end of this week, all of Jesus’ vital organs have formed and begun working together. He
even has the beginning of teeth forming in his mouth. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
May 31—Week 10 | Jesus is now about two inches long. His head is humongous compared to the rest of his body,
but his masculine biological characteristics are also clearly present. Jesus of the womb, Hear our
prayers!
June 7—Week 11 | Jesus now has fingernails, toenails, and functioning kidneys. He even drinks in the amniotic fluid
that surrounds him. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
June 14—Week 12 | Jesus just put his thumb in his mouth for the first time today. Though he is not yet strong
enough to suck on it, he soon will be. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
June 21—Week 13 | Jesus is now over three and a half inches long and weighs more than one and a half ounces.
Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
June 28—Week 14 | Due to Mary’s delicate little teenage frame, it has become very evident to her that she is
pregnant. Inside, Jesus is developing muscles and beginning to flex his hands, legs, and wrists a
lot. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
July 5 —Week 15 | Jesus squinted his face up for the first time yesterday. He can also move his head a little from
side to side in that highly buoyant amniotic sac we call his home. Jesus of the womb, Hear our
prayers!
July 12—Week 16 | Jesus is growing fast now! He is five inches long and weighs five ounces. The cord connecting
him to Mary is also getting bigger to better support the healthy growing boy. Jesus of the
womb, Hear our prayers!
July 19—Week 17 | Jesus first heard the sound of his mother’s heartbeat today. Its steady drumming is a comfort to
Him. He also saw his first flickers of brightness when his mother stood in the sunshine. The
Light of the world has seen his first rays of sunlight. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
July 26—Week 18 | Jesus is beginning to develop thick brown fat cells this week. They will prove pretty important
on a cool December night in Bethlehem in the near future. Jesus of the womb, Hear our
prayers!
August 2—Week 19 | Jesus is already halfway done his time in his first home on earth. He weighs eleven ounces and
is just over six inches long. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
August 9—Week 20 | This week, bone marrow inside Jesus has begun to develop his precious blood, which will one
day be shed as wine for all of us. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
August 16—Week 20 | Jesus is developing taste buds this week. Mary is starting to feel as though things must be
crammed pretty tight insider her. Jesus has learned how to run his hand against his cheek. He
likes the sensation and does it a lot. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
August 23—Week 21 | Jesus is moving around a lot this week as if he is an exercise enthusiast. Mary loves the
sensation, knowing that these are the earliest moments in which any human being is getting to
feel the physical presence of God! Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
August 30—Week 22 | Jesus now has a sense of balance inside his mother. He can even tell whether he is upside or
right-side up, but he still spends the majority of his time right-side up. Jesus of the womb, Hear
our prayers!
September 6—Week 23 | Jesus heard the voice of his earthly father, Joseph for the first time this week. Its strong
reassuring quality put Jesus right to sleep. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
September 13—Week 24 | Jesus will blink for the first time later this week. Dark eyelashes are growing in, and he weighs
about two pounds. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
September 20—Week 25 | Jesus is hard at work developing his immune system this week. He has also come to recognize
the distinct voices of his father and each of his maternal grandparents, Anna and Joachim. Jesus
of the womb, Hear our prayers!
September 27—Week 26 | The folds and grooves in Jesus’s brain are expanding and getting more complex at this stage. He
also boasts of a healthy head of hair as well. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
October 4—Week 27 | Mary is feeling a lot of shortness of breath, as Jesus continues to take up more room inside her.
She is also experiencing a remarkable level of fetal activity, especially at night. Her little boy is
going to be strong and aptly prepared to learn the family trade of carpentry. Jesus of the
womb, Hear our prayers!
October 11—Week 28 | Little Jesus is getting the hiccups this week! This of course brings joyful laughter to his mother,
and don’t worry. They don’t hurt him. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
October 18—Week 29 | Jesus now weighs three and a half pounds, and he is also eleven inches long. Jesus of the
womb, Hear our prayers!
October 25—Week 30 | With only two months left till delivery, Jesus looks just like he will on the day he is born. From
this point in his development, even children born prematurely in first century Israel would have
some odds of surviving outside the womb. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
November 1—Week 31 | Jesus has become quite the little explorer. He moves his hands around to feel out his
environment. He is also sensitively attuned to changes in his mother’s heartbeat and breathing.
Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
November 8—Week 32 | Jesus has gotten so big that he is now quite stuck with his head facing downward. This is not
uncomfortable for him, though. It’s also a good thing, since it is the position he will need to be
in when he is delivered in a few weeks! Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
November 15—Week 33 | Jesus now weighs five and a half pounds! He has gotten so big inside the small frame of his
mother that he cannot move around as much as he used to. It won’t be long now! Jesus of the
womb, Hear our prayers!
November 22—Week 34 | Jesus has discovered a new favorite activity, sucking on his thumb! At six pounds, he is starting
to look adorably plump and very healthy. Jesus of the womb, Hear our prayers!
November 29—Week 35 | Jesus is developing increased coordination this week. He has begun holding grasping things in
his little hands, things like his ears, his knees, and even his umbilical cord once or twice. Jesus of
the womb, Hear our prayers!
December 6—Week 36 | We are now in the month that Jesus will be born! Today, he is getting acquainted with a new
sensation. His mother has been riding a donkey all day, and its steady rocking motion keeps
lulling him back to sleep. Then, a jolt will occasionally wake him back up. Jesus of the womb,
Hear our prayers!
December 13—Week 37 | Mary’s body is flooding Jesus with antibodies this week as he gets ready for the big day. These
will support his natural immune system for most of the first year of life outside the womb. Jesus
of the womb, Hear our prayers!
December 20—Week 38 | Today, Jesus weighs seven pounds thirteen ounces. He is full of wrinkles, blotches, and dry
spots on his skin, but he is beautiful beyond all reckoning. He is getting some much needed
sleep for later this week. Jesus of the womb, Pray for us!
Friday, December 25—Week 39 | With tears of joy on her face, Mary beholds her child for the first time today. Light for all the
world is brightening their little stable. Joseph is silent in wonder at the sight of his perfect
adopted son. Shepherds will not arrive for another hour, so this first quiet moment of
happiness is reserved just for the holy family… and a few barn animals. Jesus meets the world
with his eyes open, a little king ready to continue his sacred journey through life. Jesus, Light of
the World. Hear our prayers!
Text prepared by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Reprinted here with permission, courtesy of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
