Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 3

  

Novena to the Holy Spirit

We ought to pray and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more fly to Him Who is the never ceasing Fount of Light, Strength, Consolation and Holiness.” – Pope Leo XIII

Note: The following novena was written by the Holy Ghost Fathers over 100 years ago and was reprinted several times.  It is prayed for the nine days prior to Pentecost.  

Forward

The novena in honor of the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the directions of Our Lord Himself when He sent His Apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena 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.

The Church grants the following indulgence: “Partial indulgence to those who participate in a public novena before the feast of Christmas or Pentecost, or the Immaculate Conception.” (The Enchiridion of Indulgences, Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968, #34)

Though this novena can be prayed any time of year, it is traditionally prayed from the Friday after Ascension Thursday (when the Ascension is not transferred to the following Sunday) until the Saturday before Pentecost.

Day Three

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 labor.

Prayer

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein 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 (prayed once)

Hail Mary (prayed once)

Glory be… (prayed 7 times)

Act of Consecration and Prayer for the Seven Gifts (prayed once)

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

On my knees / before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses / I offer myself, soul and body / to Thee O Eternal Spirit of God. / I adore the brightness of Thy purity / the unerring keenness of Thy justice / and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength / and Light of my soul. / In Thee I live and move and am. / I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. / Mercifully guard my every thought / and grant that I may always watch for Thy light / and listen to Thy voice / and follow Thy gracious inspirations. / I cling to Thee / and give myself to Thee / and ask Thee / by Thy 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 Thee / Adorable Spirit / Helper of my infirmity, / so to keep me in Thy grace / that I may never sin against Thee. / Give me grace / O Holy Ghost, / Spirit of the Father and of the Son / to say to Thee always and everywhere / “Speak, Lord / for Thy servant heareth.”

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost

O Lord Jesus Christ / Who, before ascending into heaven / did promise to send the Holy Ghost / to finish Thy work / in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples / deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me / that He may perfect in my soul / the work of Thy grace and Thy 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 choose / the surest way of pleasing God / and gaining heaven, / the Spirit of Fortitude / that I may bear my cross with Thee / 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 of the Lord / 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 Thy true disciples / and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. / Amen.

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 2

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit

We ought to pray and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more fly to Him Who is the never ceasing Fount of Light, Strength, Consolation and Holiness.” – Pope Leo XIII

Note: The following novena was written by the Holy Ghost Fathers over 100 years ago and was reprinted several times.  It is prayed for the nine days prior to Pentecost.  

Forward

The novena in honor of the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the directions of Our Lord Himself when He sent His Apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena 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.

The Church grants the following indulgence: “Partial indulgence to those who participate in a public novena before the feast of Christmas or Pentecost, or the Immaculate Conception.” (The Enchiridion of Indulgences, Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968, #34)

Though this novena can be prayed any time of year, it is traditionally prayed from the Friday after Ascension Thursday (when the Ascension is not transferred to the following Sunday) until the Saturday before Pentecost.

Day Two

Come Thou, Father of the poor!

Come, treasure which endure!

Come Thou, Light of all that live!

The Gift of Holy 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 the 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 Thee, my Lord and God, before my face forever; help me to shun all things that can offend Thee, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of Thy Divine Majesty in heaven where Thou livest and reignest in the unity of the Blessed Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.

Our Father (prayed once)

Hail Mary (prayed once)

Glory be… (prayed 7 times)

Act of Consecration and Prayer for the Seven Gifts (prayed once)

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

On my knees / before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses / I offer myself, soul and body / to Thee O Eternal Spirit of God. / I adore the brightness of Thy purity / the unerring keenness of Thy justice / and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength / and Light of my soul. / In Thee I live and move and am. / I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. / Mercifully guard my every thought / and grant that I may always watch for Thy light / and listen to Thy voice / and follow Thy gracious inspirations. / I cling to Thee / and give myself to Thee / and ask Thee / by Thy 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 Thee / Adorable Spirit / Helper of my infirmity, / so to keep me in Thy grace / that I may never sin against Thee. / Give me grace / O Holy Ghost, / Spirit of the Father and of the Son / to say to Thee always and everywhere / “Speak, Lord / for Thy servant heareth.”

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost

O Lord Jesus Christ / Who, before ascending into heaven / did promise to send the Holy Ghost / to finish Thy work / in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples / deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me / that He may perfect in my soul / the work of Thy grace and Thy 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 choose / the surest way of pleasing God / and gaining heaven, / the Spirit of Fortitude / that I may bear my cross with Thee / 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 of the Lord / 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 Thy true disciples / and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. / Amen.

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 1

Novena to the Holy Spirit

We ought to pray and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more fly to Him Who is the never ceasing Fount of Light, Strength, Consolation and Holiness.” – Pope Leo XIII

Note: The following novena was written by the Holy Ghost Fathers over 100 years ago and was reprinted several times.  It is prayed for the nine days prior to Pentecost.  

Forward

The novena in honor of the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the directions of Our Lord Himself when He sent His Apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena 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.

The Church grants the following indulgence: “Partial indulgence to those who participate in a public novena before the feast of Christmas or Pentecost, or the Immaculate Conception.” (The Enchiridion of Indulgences, Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968, #34)

Though this novena can be prayed any time of year, it is traditionally prayed from the Friday after Ascension Thursday (when the Ascension is not transferred to the following Sunday) until the Saturday before Pentecost.

Day One

Holy Spirit! Lord of light!

From Thy clear celestial height,

Thy pure beaming radiance give!

The Holy Ghost

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 Ghost 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 helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us.”

Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us Thy 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 (prayed once)

Hail Mary (prayed once)

Glory be… (prayed 7 times)

Act of Consecration and Prayer for the Seven Gifts (prayed once)

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

On my knees / before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses / I offer myself, soul and body / to Thee O Eternal Spirit of God. / I adore the brightness of Thy purity / the unerring keenness of Thy justice / and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength / and Light of my soul. / In Thee I live and move and am. / I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. / Mercifully guard my every thought / and grant that I may always watch for Thy light / and listen to Thy voice / and follow Thy gracious inspirations. / I cling to Thee / and give myself to Thee / and ask Thee / by Thy 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 Thee / Adorable Spirit / Helper of my infirmity, / so to keep me in Thy grace / that I may never sin against Thee. / Give me grace / O Holy Ghost, / Spirit of the Father and of the Son / to say to Thee always and everywhere / “Speak, Lord / for Thy servant heareth.”

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost

O Lord Jesus Christ / Who, before ascending into heaven / did promise to send the Holy Ghost / to finish Thy work / in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples / deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me / that He may perfect in my soul / the work of Thy grace and Thy 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 choose / the surest way of pleasing God / and gaining heaven, / the Spirit of Fortitude / that I may bear my cross with Thee / 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 of the Lord / 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 Thy true disciples / and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. / Amen.

Why Was I Created?

Q. Why Was I Created?

A. There is a very good “question-and-answer catechism” known as The Baltimore Catechism. The very first section is entitled “On the End of Man.” This is how the question and answer begins:

Q. Who made the world?

A. God made the world.

Q. Who is God?

A. God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things.

Q. What is Man?

A. Man is a creature composed of body and soul, and made in the image and likeness of God.

Q. Why did God make you?

A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven.

While the start of The Baltimore Catechism may seem simplistic and elementary, it addresses very deep philosophical questions. Just these first four questions are great questions to reflect on in prayer. God who is the Creator of all things—omniscient, omnipresent, and infinite—wants you to know Him. God who made you in His image and likeness wants you to love Him. In this world, He wants you to serve Him so that others may be led to Him. Lastly, He wants us to be happy with Him in Heaven for all eternity. How do we do this? Only by following His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. If we reflect on all four Gospel narratives, the overarching theme is that God the Father sent His Son into the world to show us how to know Him, love Him, serve Him, and be happy with Him forever—which in the end is exactly why we were created!

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Charismatic Meetings

Why do we have to go to Mass every week

Communion More Than Once A Day

Baptism and Salvation 

A Brief on the Holy Bible

Charismatic Meetings

Q. Some of the people I know at church are getting into the Charismatic group. Some of what I’ve heard about it sounds kind of weird. Can you tell me what really goes on at Charismatic meetings? And if it’s OK, why aren’t more people involved?

A. It sounds kind of weird, does it? Well, maybe I can help a bit.

Truth be told, any time you have a gathering of people, for any purpose, you will find all kinds. Some will do or say things that others will think is strange but I think that’s just part of our human experience. Everyone is different and we all express ourselves in different ways. The same is true with our life of faith. There are many traditional ways of living and expressing our faith, but there are also many ways that can seem, to some, as “different” or “unusual” or, perhaps, even “weird.”

To answer the question, “What really goes on at charismatic meetings” is difficult because I suppose that every charismatic meeting is a little different than the next. But there are a couple of things that I think are present at most of these meetings that I can comment on. One common part of a charismatic meeting is expressive praise and worship. This means that those praying do so in a very free, open and honest way, expressing themselves to God with songs and affection.

But this shouldn’t seem too weird when we look at the many other ways people are expressive. For example, I’m sure you’ve been to a wedding reception where everyone is dancing. While dancing, people can act very “strange.” Jumping up and down, throwing their hands into the air, spinning in circles and shouting out loud. If it’s OK to do this to something like the Macarena, why not for God?

Another common focus at charismatic prayer meetings is the use of the charismatic gifts. These gifts are mentioned in Scripture and are definitely a part of Catholic Tradition. Gifts can include speaking in tongues, prophecy, healing, inspired singing and the like. When these gifts are authentic, and truly charisms from God, they are beautiful and will help to build up the community. The key is to make sure they are from God and not from our own emotions or impulses.

I suppose these gifts can seem strange in that they may not be all that common to the average Catholic. But we shouldn’t be afraid of using the charismatic gifts that truly come from God.

Hope that helps. Perhaps the best place for you to start is to go to one of these meetings. If you find it brings you closer to God, then go again. If not, feel free to stick with the more traditional ways of praying.

As long as you’re praying, God will be pleased with you and will help you to live the life He wants you to live.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Why do we have to go to Mass every week

Communion More Than Once A Day

Baptism and Salvation 

A Brief on the Holy Bible

Getting a Tattoo

Why do we have to Go to Mass every week?

Q. Why do we have to Go to Mass every week?

A. Is Mass every week really too much? I do appreciate your question so let me address it.

First, let me address the question of going to Mass every week wherever there are enough priest to have it every week (or perhaps even every day!). I think the best perspective is not so much why we have to go every week but rather how fortunate we are to be able to go every week. To some, the Mass can seem dull, dry and boring. It can seem like the same old thing over and over. Perhaps you don’t seem to get much out of the homily, perhaps you don’t like the music, perhaps it’s cold in church, perhaps we’ve simply had a long week and we feel like just sleeping in. Whatever the case may be there will always be things we could point to that make us feel like skipping. But what we must understand is that the Mass is the Mass regardless of anything else. And when we truly understand what the Mass is, in faith, we will never want to miss!

The Mass is the number one way God feeds us each and every week. In the Mass we are invited to encounter the True Presence of God in a way more profound and real than in any other way. It truly is the source and summit of our lives on Earth. When we approach the Mass with a deep faith and understanding of the great mystery we encounter, we will be left with a longing and desire for more. When we receive Holy Communion in faith and with an open heart we enter into communion with Jesus in the depths of our soul. He enters in, gives us Himself as our sustenance for life and transforms our hardships and struggles into joys. The Mass has an unlimited amount of power to change us and draw us closer to God. It has an unlimited amount of power to help us in life to become all that God intends us to be. In the Mass we are made one with Christ so that we can say with St. Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Perhaps that’s hard to understand but I encourage you to learn more about the Mass. I think it’s important to study it and to learn what so many of the great saints said about it. I’ve never met anyone who deeply understood the Mass who also didn’t want to attend it.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Communion More Than Once A Day

Baptism and Salvation 

A Brief on the Holy Bible

Getting a Tattoo

The Church on being gay and having a gay partner

Communion More than Once a Day?

Q. If one takes part twice or even thrice in the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass on the same day, can he receive Holy Communion at every Holy Mass?

A. This is an excellent question since receiving our Lord in the most Blessed Sacrament is the greatest act any human being can do either on Earth or in Heaven. St. Augustine states, “Live in such a manner as to be able to receive [the Blessed Sacrament] every day.[1]  We must remember that Our Lord in the Eucharist is our daily bread, as stated in the Our Father.  The Church strongly recommends that the faithful receive the Blessed Sacrament daily, ideally during Mass.  Since reception is the greatest act, some might logically conclude that one should receive as many times as possible during the day.  However, this view does not take into account the grace, that is gift, of the Sacrament. 

In order to better understand the gift we receive in the Blessed Sacrament we must remember that only those in communion with the Church and who have reached the age of reason, usually age seven, may come forward for reception. In order to be in communion with the Church one must not be aware of any mortal sins on their soul.  The Church also requires that the faithful prepare their souls and bodies for reception.  We prepare our souls first,by recognizing and reflecting that the difference between the Heavenly Bread of the Sacrament and the food we eat for our daily sustenance.  A difference between the Sacred and the profane.  In a food center society, like the Untied States of America, this is vital. In societies where food is abundant we can easily make food an idol, leading to a dependence on always trying to satisfy one’s appetite.  Second, we must ask ourselves are we sincerely at peace and love our neighbor? Third, as already stated, we must examine our conscience and if need be make a good and complete confession of our sins in the Sacrament of Penance. Fourth, we must reflect silently in our own hearts our unworthiness.  We must take the word’s of centurion, the words we right before Communion as our own, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”  Finally, we must be able to say with St. Peter, “Lord, you know that I love thee.”[2]

Our bodies too must be prepared,this is done by abstaining from food and drink, except water and medicine, for at least one hour before reception of the Host. It is commendable to follow the ancient practice of abstaining from food and drink from midnight until reception of The Host.  Let Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament truly be your breakfast.  We should also prepare our bodies by washing our bodies and dressing properly for the Holy Sacrifice, this includes daily Mass.  Remember the parable of he who sat down at the King’s banquet without a wedding garment and was cast out.[3]

Looking at how we must prepare both our soul and body to receive the greatest of all gifts one might think that we need to receive this gift several times a day. The Church, in Her wisdom,restricts reception to only twice a day for two reasons.  First, to avoid making the Sacrament in to some sort of superstition and second, remind the faithful of the importance of the words Ite, Missa Est.  These are words the priest says at the end of Mass, in fact we get the word “Mass” from it. It is hard to translate into English but a literal translation would be “Go,she is sent.”  Meaning that the congregation,i.e. the faithful, must go out and share the grace one receives at Mass.  We receive our Lord and we must share our Lord.  Our goal in evangelizing is bring people to Lord’s banquet. 

Even in allowing reception to twice a day it is only in cases where one might go to daily Mass in the morning than a funeral or wedding later in the day or Saturday morning Mass and then Saturday evening Mass, the latter fulfilling the obligation for Sunday.  Most importantly Communion may be received a second time in one day if it is viaticum, which is when someone receives Communion for what might be the last time before death. 

Let us remember that in receiving our daily bread we participate in that Heavenly banquet. we should be focused not in how many times a day we receive but rather focused on the gift that we receive and preparing our souls and bodies so that we may go out and lead others to Christ. 

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Baptism and Salvation 

A Brief on the Holy Bible

Getting a Tattoo

The Church on being gay and having a gay partner

Why do we sign Head, Lips & Heart before reading the Gospel