Greetings dear brothers and sisters in Jesus. Let us pray to the Spirit of God. The Novena to THE HOLY SPIRIT, In Honor or our Lords Nativity ( CHRISTMAS ) and from the Feast Day of Mary, Mother of God, January the First, Amen. This humble novena will be for our Holy Fathers Apostolic Journey to Asia and for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. For all of those who are suffering from sickness, hunger, poverty and imprisonment. For our dear sister in Christ, Kathleen Ann Lewis. For the end of all wars on earth. And for our personal prayer intentions, Amen. Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts. 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 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. 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. 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, 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. Novena to the Seven Gifts Of The Holy Spirit. ------------- FOURTH DAY. Thou in toil art comfort sweet, Pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe. The Gift of Fortitude 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 under take 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. Act of Consecration, Prayer for the Seven Gifts. Intercede for us all, St. Peter and St. Paul to Little Jesus, through His Mother Mary, Amen. O holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, I choose you this day and forever to be my special patrons and advocates; thee, Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles, because thou art the Rock, upon which Almighty God hath built His Church; thee, Saint Paul, because thou wast fore-chosen by God as the Vessel of election and the Preacher of truth in the whole world. Obtain for me, I pray you, lively faith, firm hope, and burning love; complete detachment from myself, contempt of the world, patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, attention in prayer, purity of heart, a right intention in all my works, diligence in fulfilling the duties of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the will of God and perseverance in the grace of God even unto death; that so, by means of your intercession and your glorious merits, I may be able to overcome the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil, and may be made worthy to appear before the chief and eternal Shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth for endless ages, to enjoy His presence and love Him forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be. V. Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth. R. They shall be mindful of Thy name, O Lord. Let us pray: O God, Whose right hand raised up blessed Peter, when he walked upon the water and began to sink, and thrice delivered his fellow-Apostle Paul from the depths of the sea, when he suffered shipwreck: graciously hear us and grant, by the merits of them both, that we also may attain unto everlasting glory: Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen (An Indulgence of 500 days.) Prayer to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, for the Holy Catholic Church. Defend, O Lord, thy servants, we beseech thee, from all dangers both of body and soul; and, by the intercession of the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, of blessed N., and of all thy saints, mercifully grant us the blessings of peace and safety ; that all adversities and errors being removed, thy Church may freely and securely serve thee; through Christ Our Lord. Amen. Prayer to St. Paul Thou art the Vessel of election, Saint Paul the Apostle, the Preacher of truth in the whole world. V. Pray for us, Saint Paul the Apostle, R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, Who, of Thy divine mercy, didst instruct Thy blessed Apostle Paul what he should do that he might be filled with the Holy Ghost; by his admonitions directing us and his merits interceding for us, grant that we may serve Thee in fear and trembling and so be filled with the comfort of Thy heavenly gifts. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. (An Indulgence of 500 days.) Invocations Defend, O Lord, Thy people: and as they put their trust in the patronage of Thy holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, keep them ever by Thy protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen (Roman Missal). (An Indulgence of 300 days) Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles (from the Liturgical Year, 1904) After the great solemnities of the movable cycle, and the Feast of St. John the Baptist, none is more ancient, nor more universal in the Church, than that of the two Princes of the Apostles. From the beginning, Rome celebrated their triumph on the very day itself which saw them go up from earth to heaven, June 29th. Her practice prevailed, at a very early date, over the custom of several other countries, which put the Apostles feast towards the close of December. It was, no doubt, a fair thought which inspired the placing of these Fathers of the Christian people in the cortege of Emmanuel at his entry into this world. But, as we have already seen, todays teachings have intrinsically an important preponderance in the economy of Christian dogma; they are the completion of the whole Work of the Son of God; the cross of Peter fixes the Church in her stability, and marks out for the Divine Spirit the immutable centre of his operations. Rome, therefore, was well inspired when, leaving to the Beloved Disciple the honour of presiding over his brethren at the Crib of the Infant God, she maintained the solemn memory of the Princes of the Apostles upon the day chosen by God Himself to consummate their labours and to crown, at once, both their life and the whole cycle of mysteries. Fully today, do the heavens declare the glory of God, as David expresses it, today do they show us the course of the Spouse completed on the eternal hills (Ps. xviii. 2-6). Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night revealeth the deep secret (Ibid. 3). From north and south of the new Sion, from either side of her stream, Peter and Paul waft one to other, as a farewell song, as a sacred Epithalamium, the good Word (Ps. xliv. 2); sublime that echo, sonorous its power, vocal still throughout the whole earth (Ibid. xviii. 4, 5), and yet to resound as long as the world lasts. These two torches of salvation blend their flames above the palaces of ancient Rome; the passing darkness of their death, that night of which the Psalmist sings, now concentrates light, forever, in the midst of the queen city. Beside the throne of the Bridegroom fixed forever and ever on yonder seven hills (Ps. xliv. 7-10), the Gentile world, now become the Bride, is resplendent in glory (Eph. v. 27), all fair in that peerless purity which she derives from their blood united as it is to that of the Son of God. But seemly is it, not to forget, on so great a day, those other messengers sent forth by the divine householder, and who watered earths highways with their sweat and with their blood, the while they hastened the triumph and the gathering in of the guests invited to the Marriage feast (St. Matth. xxii. 8-10). To them is it due, if now the law of grace is definitively promulgated throughout all nations, and if in every language and upon every shore the good tidings have been sounded (Ps. xviii. 4, 5). Thus the festival of St. Peter, completed by the more special memory of St. Paul his comrade in death, has been from earliest times regarded as the festival likewise of the whole Apostolic college. In those primitive times it seemed impossible to dream of separating from their glorious leader any of those whom Our Lord had so intimately joined together in the responsibility of one common work. But in course of time, however, particular solemnities were successively consecrated to each one of the Apostles, and so the feast of June 29th was more exclusively attributed to the two Princes whose martyrdom rendered this day illustrious. More than this; as we shall presently see, the Roman Church, thinking it impossible fittingly to honour both of these on the same day, deferred till the morrow her more explicit praises of the Doctor of the Gentiles. The Antiphons and Capitulum of First Vespers take us back to the opening days of the apostolic ministry. They place us in the midst of those which immediately follow the Descent of the Holy Ghost. Peter and John go up together to the temple of Jerusalem. Calvarys sacrifice has put an end to its figurative oblations; but it, nevertheless, still continues to be a place of prayer, pleasing to heaven, on account of its grand memories. At the door of the sacred edifice, a man, lame from his birth, begs an alms of the Apostles. Peter, lacking both silver and gold, exerts in his favour the power of healing which he possesses in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The Synagogue yields no more to the miracles of the disciple than she did to those of the Master; she will not be converted; and presently a new Herod, wishing to please the Jews, finds no better means of doing so than the putting to death of James the brother of John, and the imprisoning of Peter. But the angel of the Lord comes down into the prison where he is sleeping, on the eve of the day fixed for his death; the angel bids him arise, put on his garments, and follow him. The Apostle, set free, proclaims the reality of that which at first he thought but a dream. He departs from Jerusalem, now hopelessly the accursed city; and on all sides of the gentile world into whose midst he has entered, is verified the prophecy: Tu es Petrus: Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church (St. Matth. xvi. 18). Ant. Peter and John went up to the temple at the ninth hour of prayer. Ant. Silver and gold I have none; but what I have, I give unto thee. Ant. The Angel said to Peter: Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. Ant. The Lord hath sent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod. Alleluia. Ant. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church. Capitulum. (Acts, xii.) Herod the king stretched out his hand to afflict some of the church; and he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. Decorum lux Lo! beauteous Light Eternal floods, with sacred fires, this golden day which crowns the Princes of Apostles and opens out unto the guilty a free path to Heaven. The Teacher of the whole earth, as well as the Doorkeeper of Heaven, both of them Fathers of Rome, and Judges of nations, each a victor of death, the one by the sword, the other by the cross, laurel-crowned, both take their seats in the Senate of Eternal Life. O happy Rome, by noble gore of Princes twain art thou now consecrated; empurpled by the blood of such as these, thou alone in beauty dost surpass all the rest of earth. To the Trinity in Unity that governeth all things through ages of ages, may there be eternal glory, honour, power, and jubilation. Amen. V. Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth. R. And their words unto the ends of the world. Antiphon of the Magnificat Thou art the Shepherd of the sheep, O Prince of the sheep, O Prince of the Apostles, to thee were delivered the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Prayer: O God, who hast consecrated this day by the martyrdom of thine Apostles Peter and Paul; grant to thy Church that she may in all things follow their instruction by whom she received the Faith. Through our Lord, &c. -------------- The Litany of the Holy Ghost with Chaplet. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Father all powerful, Have mercy on us. Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, Save us. Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless Life of both, Sanctify us. Holy Trinity, Hear us. Holy Spirit, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts. Holy Spirit, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts. Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us. Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us. Author of all good, etc. Source of Heavenly water, Consuming Fire, Ardent Charity, Spiritual Unction, Spirit of love and truth, Spirit of wisdom and understanding, Spirit of counsel and fortitude, Spirit of knowledge and piety, Spirit of the fear of the Lord, Spirit of grace and prayer, Spirit of peace and meekness, Spirit of modesty and innocence, Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, Holy Spirit, Who governest the Church, Gift of God the Most High, Spirit Who fillest the universe, Spirit of the adoption of the children of God, Holy Spirit, inspire us with horror of sin. Holy Spirit, come and renew the face of the earth. Holy Spirit, shed Thy light into our souls. Holy Spirit, engrave Thy law in our hearts. Holy Spirit, inflame us with the flame of Thy love. Holy Spirit, open to us the treasures of Thy graces. Holy Spirit, teach us to pray well. Holy Spirit, enlighten us with Thy Heavenly inspirations. Holy Spirit, lead us in the way of salvation. Holy Spirit, grant us the only necessary knowledge. Holy Spirit, inspire in us the practice of good. Holy Spirit, grant us the merits of all virtues. Holy Spirit, make us persevere injustice. Holy Spirit, be our everlasting reward. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Send us Thy Holy Spirit. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety. V. Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful, R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Let Us Pray. Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit may enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth and reigneth forever and ever. R. Amen. Chaplet of the Holy Spirit. The Chaplet of the Holy Spirit was composed in 1892 by a Franciscan Capuchin missionary of the English province in order to give the faithful an easy means honoring the Holy Ghost. It was approved by Pope Leo XIII in 1902. It is intended to be in regard to the Holy Ghost what the Dominican Rosary is in regard to the Blessed Virgin. This Rosary consists of five groups of seven beads each. Before and after each group there are two large beads, that is twelve large beads in all. In addition there are three small beads at the beginning. On these three beads one makes the Sign of the Cross, recites an Act of Contrition and the hymn, Come, Holy Ghost. In each group the Glory be to the Father is said on the seven small beads, an Our Father and a Hail Mary on the two large beads. On the remaining two large beads are said the Apostles Creed and an Our Father and Hail Mary for the intention of the Holy Father. There is a mystery for each of the five groups; the number five commemorating the Five Wounds of Jesus which are the fountains of grace which the Holy Ghost imparts to all men. The reflections suggested are as follows: The First Mystery By the Holy Ghost is Jesus conceived of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Meditation: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: and therefore also the holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35). The Practice: Diligently implore the aid of the Divine Spirit, and Marys intercession, to imitate the virtues of Jesus Christ, Who is the Model of virtues, so that you may be made conformable to the image of the Son of God. The Second Mystery The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jesus The Meditation: Jesus, being Baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo! the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him. (Matthew 3:16). The Practice: Hold in the highest esteem the priceless gift of sanctifying grace, infused into your soul by the Holy Ghost in Baptism. Keep the promises to which you then pledged yourself. Increase, by constant practice, Faith, Hope and Charity. Ever live as becometh children of God and members of Gods true Church, so as to obtain, hereafter, the inheritance of Heaven. The Third Mystery By the Spirit is Jesus led into the desert The Meditation: Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the desert for the space of forty days; and was tempted by the devil. (Luke 4:1, 2). The Practice: Be ever grateful for the sevenfold gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed upon you in Confirmation, for the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, and of the fear of the Lord. Faithfully yield to His Divine guidance, so that, in all the trials and temptations of life, you may act manfully, as becometh a perfect Christian and valiant soldier of Jesus Christ. The Fourth Mystery The Holy Ghost in the Church The Meditation: Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting . . . and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak . . . the wonderful works of God. (Acts 11:2, 4, 11). The Practice: Thank God for having made you a child of His Church which is ever animated and directed by the Divine Spirit, sent into this world for that purpose on the day of Pentecost. Hear and obey the Holy See, the infallible mouthpiece of the Holy Ghost, and the Church, the pillar and ground of truth. Uphold her doctrines, seek her interests, defend her rights. The Fifth Mystery The Holy Ghost in the soul of the just man The Meditation: Know you not that you members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, Who is in you? (I Cor. 6:19). Extinguish not the Spirit: (1 Thess. 5:19). And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption: (Eph. 4:30). The Practice: Be ever mindful of the Holy Ghost Who is within you, and carefully cultivate purity of soul and body. Faithfully obey His Divine inspirations so that you may bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit ---- Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Long-suffering, Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continency, Chastity. Conclude with the Apostles Creed [See Below] as a profession of faith. Say finally one Our Father and one Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff. The Apostles Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. Come Holy Ghost COME, Holy Ghost Creator blest, And in our souls take up Thy rest, Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid, And fill the hearts which Thou hast made. To Thee, the Comforter, we cry, To Thee, the gift of God most high, The fount of life, the fire of love, The souls anointing from above. The sevenfold gifts of grace are Thine, O Finger of the hand Divine; True promise of the Father Thou, Who dost the tongue with speech endow. Thy light to every thought impart, And shed Thy love in every heart; Our bodys poor infirmity With strength perpetual fortify. Our mortal foe afar repel, Grant us henceforth in peace to dwell; If Thou be our preventing guide, No evil can our steps betide. Make Thou to us the Father known; Teach us the Eternal Son to own, And Thee, Whose name we ever bless, Of Both the Spirit to confess. All glory while the ages run Be to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death; the same to Thee, O Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen. God the Holy Ghost, Truly Loves us all, His Spiritual Children, Amen :-)
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 20:17:28 +0000
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