Meditation
| Word of God | Holy
Spirit Novena
MEDITATION
The Holy Spirit
is God, and Third Person of the Holy Trinity, really God, the same as the Father and the Son are really God. He
is love of the Father and the Son.
Christ promised
that this Spirit of Truth would come and would remain within us. “I will ask the
Father and He will give you another Paraclete – to be with you always: the Spirit of
truth, Whom the world cannot accept, since it neither sees Him nor recognizes Him; but you
can recognize Him because He remains with you and will be within you.” (Jn 14:16-17)
The Holy Spirit
came at Pentecost, never to depart. Fifty
days after Easter, on Pentecost Sunday, He changed the Apostles from weak fearful men to
brave men of faith that Christ needed to spread His Gospel to the nations.
The Holy Spirit is
present in a special way in the Church, the community of those who believe in Christ as
Lord. He helps the Church to continue the
work of Christ in the world. By His presence
people are moved by His grace to unite themselves with God and men in sincere love and to
fulfill their duties to God and man. He makes
the Church pleasing to God because of the Divine life of grace which He gives. By the power of the gospel He makes the Church
grow. He renews it with His gifts, and leads
it to perfect union with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit
guides the Pope, bishops, and priests of the Church in their work of teaching
Christ’s doctrine, guiding souls, and giving God’s grace to the people through
the Sacraments. He directs all the work of
Christ in the Church – the care of the sick, the teaching of children, the guidance
of youth, the comforting of the sorrowful, the support of the needy.
We should honour
the Holy Spirit by loving Him as our God and by letting Him guide us in life.
St Paul reminds us
to do so. ‘Are you not aware that you
are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16).
Since the Holy Spirit is always with us if
we are in the state of grace, we should often ask Him for the light and strength we need
to live a holy life and to save our souls.
“I solemnly assure you, no one can enter
into God’s Kingdom without being begotten of water and Spirit. Flesh begets flesh, Spirit begets spirit.” (Jn 3:5-6)
“This much I
have told you while I was still with you; the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father
will send in My Name, will instruct you in everything, and remind you of all that I told
you.” (Jn 14:25-26).
“When
the day of Pentecost came it found them gathered in one place. Suddenly from up in the sky there came a noise
like a strong, driving wind which was heard all through the house where they were seated. Tongues of fire appeared, which parted and came to
rest on each of them. All were filled with
the Holy Spirit. They began to express
themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted
them.” (Acts 2:1-4)
“To each
person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse, to
another the power to express knowledge. Through
the Spirit one receives faith; by the same Spirit another is given the gift of healing,
and still another miraculous powers. Prophecy
is given to one, to another power to distinguish one spirit from another. One receives the gift of tongues, another that of
interpreting the tongues. But it is one and
the same Spirit Who produces all these gifts, distributing them to each as He wills.”
(1 Cor 12:4-11)
(Taken from
"Treasury of Novenas"
- Meditation by Rev Lawrence G Lovasik SVD)
NOVENA TO THE
HOLY SPIRIT
The novena in
honour of the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the
direction of our Lord Himself when he sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to await the
coming of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. It
is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third
Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love
so sorely needed by every Christian. To
encourage devotion to the Holy Spirit, the Church has enriched this novena with
indulgences.
Act of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
On my knees before the great multitude of
heavenly witness, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the
unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the strength and the light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to
grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I
may always watch for Your light and listen to
Your voice and follow Your gracious inspirations. I
cling to You, and give myself to You, and ask You by Your compassion to watch over me in
my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of
Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His
opened side and Stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so
to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You.
Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, spirit of the Father and the Son to say to you
always and everywhere “Speak Lord for Your servant heareth.” Amen.
(To be
recited daily during the Novena)
Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy
Spirit
O Lord Jesus Christ
Who,
Before ascending into heaven
Promised to send the Holy Spirit
To finish your work
In the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples.
Grant that same Holy Spirit to me,
That He may perfect in my soul
The work of Your grace and Your love.
Grant me:
The Spirit of Wisdom that
I may despise the perishable things of this world
And aspire only after the things that are eternal,
The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light
of Your divine truth,
The Spirit of Counsel that
I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God
And gaining heaven,
The Spirit of Fortitude that
I may bear my cross with You and that I
may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation,
The Spirit of Knowledge that
I may know God and know myself and
Grow perfect in the science of the Saints,
The Spirit of Piety that I may find the
service of God sweet and amiable,
The Spirit of Fear that
I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God
And may dread in any way to displease Him.
Mark me, dear Lord
with the sign of Your true disciples and animate
me in all things with Your Spirit.
Amen.
(To be
recited daily during the Novena)
FIRST DAY
Holy
Spirit! Lord of Light!
From Your clear
celestial height,
Your pure beaming
radiance give!
The Holy
Spirit
Only
one thing is important – eternal salvation. Only
one thing, therefore, is to be feared – sin. Sin
is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind,
strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation, we ought to invoke the
Divine Spirit daily, for “The Spirit helps in our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asks for us.”
Prayer
Almighty and
eternal God, Who has vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and has
given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us Your
sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and
fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
SECOND DAY
Come, Father of the
poor!
Come, treasures which
endure!
Come, Light of all
that live!
The Gift of Fear
The gift of Fear
fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend
Him by sin. It is a fear that arises, not
from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence and filial submission to our
heavenly Father. It is this fear that is the
beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us
from God. “They that fear the Lord will
prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls.”
Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear,
penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set You, my Lord and God, before my face forever;
help me to shun all things that can offend You, and make me worthy to appear before the
pure eyes of Your Divine Majesty in heaven, where You live and reign in the unity of the
ever Blessed Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
THIRD DAY
Thou, of all consolers best
Visiting the troubled
breast,
Dost refreshing peace
bestow.
The Gift of Piety
The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a
filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect,
for His sake, persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those who are vested with
His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our
parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He
who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his religion not a burdensome
duty, but a delightful service. Where there
is love, there is no labour.
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess
my heart. Enkindle in me such a love for God,
that I may find satisfaction only in His service, and for His sake lovingly submit to all
legitimate authority. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
FOURTH DAY
Thou in toil art
comfort sweet;
Pleasant coolness in
the heat;
Solace in the midst
of woe.
The Gift of Fortitude
By the gift of Fortitude the soul is
strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and
energy which move it to undertake without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face
dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without complaint the slow
martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. “He
that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.”
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude,
uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness,
strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may
never be overcome and separated from You, my God and greatest Good. Amen.
FIFTH
DAY
Light immortal! Light Divine!
Visit Thou these hearts
of Thine,
And our inmost being
fill!
The
Gift of Knowledge
The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to
evaluate created things at their true worth – in their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures,
reveals their emptiness, and points out their only true purpose as instruments in the
service of God. It shows us the loving care
of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first,
and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. “Knowledge
is a fountain of life to him that possesses it.”
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Sprit of Knowledge, and
grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly
things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Your glory and my own
salvation, looking ever beyond them to You, and your eternal rewards. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
SIXTH
DAY
If Thou take Thy grace
away,
Nothing pure in man
will stay,
All his good is turned
to ill.
The
Gift of Understanding
Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of
the truths of our holy religion. By faith we
know them, but by Understanding, we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of
revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but
inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin
to “walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of
God.”
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and
enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may
merit at last to see the eternal light in Your light; and in the light of glory to have a
clear vision of You and the Father and the Son. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
SEVENTH DAY
Heal
our wounds – our strength renew;
On our dryness pour
Thy dew;
Wash the stains of
guilt away!
The
Gift of Counsel
The gift of Counsel endows the soul with
supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done,
especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel
applies in the principles furnished by
Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the
course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless
treasure in the quest of salvation. “Above
all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct Your way in truth.”
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of
Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Your holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it
away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Your commandments to
that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
EIGHT DAY
Bend the stubborn
heart and will;
Melt the frozen warm
the chill;
Guide the steps that
go astray!
The Gift of Wisdom
Embodying
all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect
of the gifts. Of Wisdom it is written
“all good things come to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands.” It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our
faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the
highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to
discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their
savour, while the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the
Saviour: “Take up the cross and follow
me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.”
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to
my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the
passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help
me to attain them and possess them, for ever. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
NINTH DAY
Thou, on those who evermore
Thee confess and Thee
adore,
In Thy sevenfold
gifts, descend;
Give them comfort
when they die;
Give them life with
Thee on high;
Give them joys which
never end. Amen.
The Fruits of the Holy Spirit
The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the
supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine
inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and
love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and
generous, the practice of virtue, more perfect. Such
acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of
the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render
the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater
efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign.
Prayer
Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with
Your heavenly fruits, Your charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith,
mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued
faithful submission to Your inspiration may merit to be united eternally with You in the
love of the Father and the Son. Amen.
Our Father and Hail
Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the
Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration,
Prayer for the Seven Gifts.
LITANY
TO THE SPIRIT
Come, Spirit of
Wisdom, and teach us to value the highest gift.
Come Holy Spirit.
Come, Spirit of
Understanding, and show us all things in the light of eternity.
Come Holy Spirit.
Come, Spirit of
Counsel, and guide us along the straight
and narrow path to
our heavenly home.
Come Holy Spirit.
Come, Spirit of
Might, and strengthen us against every evil spirit
and interest which
would separate us from you.
Come Holy Spirit.
Come, Spirit of
Knowledge, and teach us the shortness
of life and the
length of eternity.
Come Holy Spirit.
Come, Spirit of
Godliness, and stir up our minds and hearts to love
and serve the Lord
our God, all our days.
Come Holy Spirit.
Come, Spirit of
the Fear of the Lord, and make us tremble with
awe and reverence
before your divine majesty.
Come Holy Spirit.
|
