A Sunday Thought to Start the Week Off Right
Did you start praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit on Friday? After all, we're a week away from Pentecost, so, even if you're a couple of days late, there's still time to get the ball rolling.
For some encouragement, consider this. According to the EWTN website, this novena "is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the direction of Our Lord Himself when He sent His disciples 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."
Think about this. Our Lord Himself directed his disciples to pray in preparation for what would be a day of profound transformation for them. On Pentecost, they would be dramatically enlightened by the Holy Spirit. They would finally take the reins of our Holy Catholic Church and spread the Good News to the ends of the earth, as He commended them to do.
Now, we may not be so suddenly and dramatically transformed. But imagine being able to do something suggested by Our Lord Himself. That something would be the Novena to the Holy Spirit. While sudden transformations, like miracles, can and do happen, union with God - the object of our spiritual life - takes time. We struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. We stumble; sometimes we fall. But a prayer as powerful as this Novena can serve as a good shot in the arm to keep us going. It reminds me of that shot of morning espresso I sometimes consume to keep me on pace during the work day.
But to allow the Novena to the Holy Spirit to either wake us up, or keep us going, it's important that we take it slow and pay attention. I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to race through prayers, especially longer ones. I think it's the result of some combination of the following: the more I pack in the prayers and devotions, the holier I'll get, or; I've got something that's somehow more important pressing me to finish and get on with my daily life. Either of these is, of course, pure folly. Having realized that, over time, and with much patient and disciplined effort, I've somewhat, sort of managed to slow down my praying. For what it's worth, it's worth it.
And so, as we say the Novena to the Holy Spirit in these days leading to Pentecost, let's take our time. Don't try to jam it into your usual prayer routine. If necessary, just eliminate something to make more space for it. With that in mind, let's practice right now making space and taking time while praying.
Here's the Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit we pray each day during the Novena. Since it's Sunday, it's the perfect time to pray without rushing. (You do keep the Lord's Day holy by making more time for Him, don't you?) Take a deep breath, count to ten, set aside the world and its cares for a few minutes, and slowly, thoughtfully, let's all pray together:
"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."
If you were able to take it slow, congratulations! And if you want to dive in deeper now, we've linked each of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to previous posts that discuss how we can apply each to our work every day.
Have a Happy and Holy Sunday!
For some encouragement, consider this. According to the EWTN website, this novena "is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the direction of Our Lord Himself when He sent His disciples 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."
Think about this. Our Lord Himself directed his disciples to pray in preparation for what would be a day of profound transformation for them. On Pentecost, they would be dramatically enlightened by the Holy Spirit. They would finally take the reins of our Holy Catholic Church and spread the Good News to the ends of the earth, as He commended them to do.
Now, we may not be so suddenly and dramatically transformed. But imagine being able to do something suggested by Our Lord Himself. That something would be the Novena to the Holy Spirit. While sudden transformations, like miracles, can and do happen, union with God - the object of our spiritual life - takes time. We struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. We stumble; sometimes we fall. But a prayer as powerful as this Novena can serve as a good shot in the arm to keep us going. It reminds me of that shot of morning espresso I sometimes consume to keep me on pace during the work day.
But to allow the Novena to the Holy Spirit to either wake us up, or keep us going, it's important that we take it slow and pay attention. I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to race through prayers, especially longer ones. I think it's the result of some combination of the following: the more I pack in the prayers and devotions, the holier I'll get, or; I've got something that's somehow more important pressing me to finish and get on with my daily life. Either of these is, of course, pure folly. Having realized that, over time, and with much patient and disciplined effort, I've somewhat, sort of managed to slow down my praying. For what it's worth, it's worth it.
And so, as we say the Novena to the Holy Spirit in these days leading to Pentecost, let's take our time. Don't try to jam it into your usual prayer routine. If necessary, just eliminate something to make more space for it. With that in mind, let's practice right now making space and taking time while praying.
Here's the Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit we pray each day during the Novena. Since it's Sunday, it's the perfect time to pray without rushing. (You do keep the Lord's Day holy by making more time for Him, don't you?) Take a deep breath, count to ten, set aside the world and its cares for a few minutes, and slowly, thoughtfully, let's all pray together:
"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."
If you were able to take it slow, congratulations! And if you want to dive in deeper now, we've linked each of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to previous posts that discuss how we can apply each to our work every day.
Have a Happy and Holy Sunday!
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