Holy Spirit, Novenas

Novena to the Holy Spirit

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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, 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

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Christ Jesus, before ascending into heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to Your apostles and disciples. Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in my life the work of Your grace and love.

Grant me the Spirit of Fear of The Lord that I may be filled with a loving reverence toward You.

The Spirit of Piety that I may find peace and fulfillment in the service of God while serving others;

The Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and, with courage, overcome the obstacles that interfere with my salvation;

The Spirit of Knowledge that I may know You and know myself and grow in holiness;

The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your truth;

The Spirit of Counsel that I may choose the surest way of doing Your will, seeking first the Kingdom;

Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may aspire to the things that last forever;

Teach me to be Your faithful disciple and animate me in every way with Your Spirit. Amen.

FIRST DAY – THE HOLY SPIRIT
Creation Awaits Fulfillment

Holy Spirit, Lord of light! From Your clear celestial height,
Your pure’ beaming radiance give! Almighty and eternal God, send forth Your Spirit, who brought order from chaos at the beginning of the universe, and peace to the Lord’s disciples.

Grant that I, as your creation, baptized in your Spirit, may be filled with the seven gifts so that I may forever do your will and renew the face of the earth.
Amen.

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 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 me Thy sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill me with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

 SECOND DAY – THE GIFT OF FEAR
Christ’s Promise To Send The Paraclete
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, treasures which endure!
Come, Light of all that live!
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, fill me with devotion to God alone. In the Risen Christ, I welcome You, O Spirit of truth, whom the Father sends in Jesus’ name. Wash clean the sinful soul, and rain down your grace that we may be one with the
Church in fidelity to our Lord Jesus, Christ.
Amen.

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.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

THIRD DAY – THE GIFT OF PIETY
The Soul Of Christ’s Body, The Church

Thou, of all consolers, best,
Visiting the troubled breast Dost refreshing peace bestow.

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. God, our Father, may I, through the grace of your Spirit, be forever filled with filial
affection for you. Grant that I may be inspired to love and respect all members of your family as brothers and sisters of Jesus, who, together with him, call you Abba, Father.
Amen.

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.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BEs
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

 

FOURTH DAY – THE GIFT OF FORTITUDE
The Dignity Of The Christian
Thou, in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe. Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity.

O, Divine Trinity, grant that I may be strengthened to see in myself and others the dignity that is ours as temples of Your Holy Spirit, to be loved by one another as each of us is loved by Jesus. I ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

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.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

FIFTH DAY – THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE
Gifted To Serve And Build Others Up

Light immortal! Light Divine!
Visit Thou these hearts of Thine,
And our inmost being fill!

Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father. Father, through Your Spirit, You invite us to participate in the fullness of Creation. Help me to see that all gifts are from You and intended for your Glory. For there are many different gifts, but always the same Spirit, many ways of serving, but  always the same Lord.
Amen.

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 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.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

SIXTH DAY – THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING
Human Weakness And Sinfulness

If You take Your grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay,
All his good is turned to ill.

Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Understanding, enlighten our minds that we may appreciate and see more fully what we know by faith. Come to us in our weakness and give voice to our petitions, for “the prayers that the Spirit makes for God’s holy people are always in accordance with the mind of God.”

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 my mind, that I 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.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

SEVENTH DAY – THE GIFT OF COUNSEL
Growth In The Freedom That Love Gives

Heal our wounds – our strength renew; On our dryness, pour thy dew; Wash the stains of guilt away!

Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Counsel. Make my thoughts holy, my love pure, and my works pleasing to God. Father, guided by Your Spirit, may I strive to make loving choices and respect all life. May I be aware of our dignity as Your sons and daughters, redeemed with the Blood of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

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 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 Catholic 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 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.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

EIGHTH DAY – THE GIFT OF WISDOM
Gifted Through The Spirit

Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray!

Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Wisdom, strengthen my faith, increase my hope, perfect my charity. Father, enlighten me each day, in the silence of my heart, to discern the voice of Your Spirit, to do what He asks of me and to understand the gifts He freely gives. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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 Savior: “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 for ever. Amen.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

NINTH DAY – THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Sent With The Power To Reconcile

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.

Father, through Jesus, Your Son, You sent the Paraclete to be at our side, to reconcile all Creation to you. Grant that I may be forever open to Jesus’ invitation to “Receive The Holy Spirit!”

Father, open my heart to accept Your forgiveness for our sins and to offer that same forgiveness to those who I have offended and who have offended me. For merciful forgiveness is the essence of Your love revealed in Your Son.

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.

Pray:
OUR FATHER • HAIL MARY • 7 GLORY BE’s
Act Of Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Prayer For The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit