Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

This little prayer is traditionally prayed from the feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) until the birth of Christ. Like most traditional Novenas it comes with all kinds of promises. I don't put much stock in that stuff, but I do know from experience that you can pray it for all kinds of things, even big and difficult things, and St. Andrew seems to take care of them. Perhaps it really is a particularly powerful novena. Or perhaps it is just the time of year - God is preparing us for the coming of his Son, and willing to move all sorts of things that might stand in his way. So pray with confidence and hope.