Novena
to the Holy Spirit for the
Seven Gifts FOREWORD The novena
in honor 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 ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, 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 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, 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.
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to
send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and
Disciples, deign to grant the 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, and 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. The Novena begins on the day
after the Solemnity of the Ascension—that is, on Friday of the 6th Week of
Eastertide—even if the Solemnity of the Ascension is transferred to the
following Sunday. FIRST DAY (Friday
after Ascension Thursday) 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 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
Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness for 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.
SECOND DAY (Saturday after Ascension Thursday) 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 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 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. THIRD DAY (Sunday
after the Ascension) 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 and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
FOURTH DAY (Monday of
the week after the Ascension) 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 Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
FIFTH DAY (Tuesday of the week after the
Ascension) 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 possesseth it." Prayer Come, O
Blessed Spirit 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 Thy glory and my own salvation, looking ever
beyond them to Thee, and Thy eternal rewards. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory
be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
SIXTH DAY (Wednesday of the week after the Ascension) If Thou take Thy grace away, nothing pure in man will stay, All
his good is turn'd 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 Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision
of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
SEVENTH DAY (Thursday
of the week after the Ascension) 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 done, especially in difficult circumstances.
Counsel applies 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 thy
way in truth." Prayer Come, O
Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy
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 Thy commandments to that goal
of eternal life for which I long. Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
EIGHTH DAY (Friday of the week after the Ascension) 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 came
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 savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine
sweetness according to the words of the Saviour:
"Take up thy 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 forever. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
NINTH DAY (Saturday,
Vigil of Pentecost) Thou, on those who evermore Thee confess and Thee Adore, in Thy
sevenfold gift, 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 Thy heavenly fruits, Thy 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 Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of
the Father and the Son. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
|