As we reflect on Mary's Visitation to Elizabeth, what do we learn? First, the obedience of Mary to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Lord, may I be both attentive and prompt in my response. Second, even though Mary is given great news of God's working in her, her focus was not on herself but on the other, Elizabeth. Lord, may I too respond to your grace by turning to the other. Thirdly, did Mary experience a stirring in her own womb when she greets Elizabeth, as her cousin did? I would not be surprise. Fourthly, Mary's response to Elizabeth's praise was to recognize that it is God who is to be praised as she magnifies the Lord. I too desire to praise you, Lord, for what you have and are doing in me. Fifthly, Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, humbly serving and caring for Elizabeth and Zachariah. May I always have a servant's heart.
Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
Nain is a small village in Galilee about six miles southeast of Nazareth.
Was Jesus led to Nain by the inspiration of the Spirit?As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her.
This funeral procession crowd would include, besides his mother, relatives and neighbors, also professional mourners and musicians.
Luke emphasizes that the mother was a widow and her dead son was her only immediate family. This implies that she will be facing great hardships without the support of her son, who cared and provided for her.When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep."
When Luke calls Jesus, Lord, he is reflecting the post resurrection faith of the Church. This is the first time Luke uses it in reference to Jesus.
Here, we also see the mercy of Jesus towards one of the poorest of people, a widow.
He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"
Jesus does something that, in the eyes of the crowd, would make him ritually impure. He touched the stretcher on which the dead body lay. Mosaic Law warned that contact with the dead renders one unclean for an entire week.
Jesus, by word of command, orders life back into the dead body.The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
This is one of the three resurrection accounts in the ministry of Jesus: the daughter of Jairus and Lazarus.
Previous in Luke, we are told that Jesus healed the dying servant of a Gentile Roman Officer. In the case of the daughter of Jairus, she had just died. Here, he heals one who has already died and is being taken to the burial site. Lazarus was dead for four days.Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, crying out "A great prophet has arisen in our midst, " and "God has visited his people." This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.
Saying that Jesus was a great prophet was in reference to Elijah and Elisha, both of whom raised the dead to life.
If Jesus could do this in the life of this young man, what can he do in your life. Notice it wasn’t the faith of the widow or of the crowd that moved Jesus. It was his faith in the power the Father had given him in the Holy Spirit to bring the Father’s love and mercy into the lives of the people. Does he not want to do the same in each of us?
What is the difference between despair, presumption and repentance? It is the place of hope. The o ne who despairs lacks hope that things can change. This person sees himself beyond the grasp of even God. The focus is self-unworthiness. There is only deeper darkness. On the other hand, the one who is presumptuous has false hope in himself, thinking no matter what he does, God will take care of him in the end. In reality his hope is not in God but in himself. Both, the one who despairs and the one who is presumptuous, have a distorted view of reality. But the person who is repentant sees things as they are. He admits the sin he has committed but turns to God in the hope of His promise of mercy and forgiveness. The difference between Judas and Peter was their response to God's grace. Judas despaired and turned away from it. Peter repented and received the healing power of God's mercy. Let true hope be an eternal light within us, helping us to keep our eyes on the Lord.
"The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of your life as though it were the last."(St. Philip Neri) It is not morbid to reflect on these words. For death is an inevitable fact of everyone's life. If I knew that today was my last day, how would I want to live it? And if we lived each day like that what will our last day be like? Here is a maxim that may help us to live as if this was my last day. Do what you are suppose to do; when you are suppose to do it; the way you are suppose to do it; to the best of your ability; for the love of God. Then when that last day comes, you and I will be ready to meet the Lord.
As I read the lives of martyrs, I wonder if I have the boldness they had. Many were not afraid of practicing their faith in a public way, even though they knew they would suffer torture and death. Only with God's grace was this possible. I pray that I may be bold at all times, whether persecuted openly or even indirectly. The depth of my boldness will be reflective of the depth of my relationship with God. His faithfulness is steadfastness, may my boldness be as well.
"When I am weak, then I am strong." This paradoxical statement of St. Paul may be hard to understand. From early childhood we are taught that strength is better than weakness. To be weak is humanly frowned upon. Yet, Paul is speaking from a spiritual perspective. Before God in myself I am weak. In God and with God I am strong. When I can empty myself of my stand alone self importance, then God can fill me with true strength. When I am full of self, I cannot be full of God at the same time. But when I empty the false self, then God can reveal to me my true self in him. I cannot love unless I am first loved by God. I cannot save myself, only in God I am saved. My real, authentic strength is in God. In him I can do all things. Without him I can do nothing of eternal value.
Jesus was truly free. His freedom was rooted in his spiritual awareness that he was the Beloved Child of God. He knew in the depth of his being that he belonged to God before he was born, that he was sent into the world to proclaim God's love, and that he would return to God after his mission was fulfilled. This knowledge gave him the freedom to speak and act without having to please the world and the power to respond to people's pains with the healing love of God. (Henri Nouwen) If Jesus found his freedom in his identity as the Beloved Son of God, is not our true freedom also found in our baptism identity as a son or daughter of God? Claim this identity and live out of this identity if you want to be free. The father of lies try to rob us of this identity so that he can enslave us. The Spirit of Truth on the other hand reminds us of our truly identity and freedom.
Novena Honoring the Body and
Blood of Christ –
May 20-28, 2016
I thank You,
Jesus, my Divine Redeemer, for coming upon the earth for our sake, and for
instituting the adorable Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in order to remain
with us until the end of the world.
I thank You for your real
presence in the Eucharistic species Your infinite majesty and beauty, which
Your Angels delight to behold, so that I might have courage to approach the
throne of Your Mercy.
I thank You,
most loving Jesus, for having made Yourself my food, and for uniting me to
Yourself with so much love in this wonderful Sacrament that I may live in You.
I thank You,
my Jesus, for giving Yourself to me in this Blessed Sacrament, and so enriching
it with the treasures of Your love that You have no greater gift to give me.
I thank You
not only for becoming my food but also for offering Yourself as a continual
sacrifice to Your Eternal Father for my salvation.
I thank You,
Divine Priest, for offering Yourself as a Sacrifice daily upon our altars in
adoration and homage to the Most Blessed Trinity, and for making amends for our
poor and miserable adorations.
I thank You
for renewing in this daily Sacrifice the actual Sacrifice of the Cross offered
on Calvary, in which You satisfy Divine justice for us poor sinners.
I thank You,
dear Jesus, for having become the priceless Victim to merit for me the fullness
of heavenly favors. Awaken in me such confidence in You that their fullness may
descend ever more fruitfully upon my soul.
I thank You for offering
Yourself in thanksgiving to God for all His benefits, spiritual and temporal,
which He has bestowed upon me.
In union with Your offering of Yourself to Your Father in the Holy Sacrifice of
the Mass, I ask for this special favor: (Mention your
request).
Let us pray. God our Father, for Your glory and our salvation You appointed
Jesus Christ eternal High Priest. May the people He gained for You by His Blood
come to share in the power of His Cross and Resurrection by celebrating His Memorial
in this Eucharist, for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one
God, forever. Amen.
Adapted from Women for Faith and Family web site.
"There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand. " (Saint Bernardine of Siena) We should recall this whenever we feel God is calling us to do something out of our comfort zone. With the call and opportunity to serve him comes the grace and strength to accomplish the task, no matter how humanly impossible it seems or how humanly unworthy we feel. For, it is God doing the work through us and not we ourselves. How often the words of St. Paul speak to these moments. God chooses the weak to confound the strong and the foolish to confound the wise. Our boast is in the power and presence of God and not in ourselves.
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.
In this passage Jesus continues the farewell speech that extends from Jn 13:31-17:26.
Even after being with Jesus for three years, the apostles did not fully comprehend
what Jesus has shared with them. It will be one of the roles of the Holy Spirit to
further teach them and to bring all things into greater understanding over time.
As they trusted in Jesus, now they were to trust the lead of the Holy Spirit, as he
leads them into a deeper comprehension of the truth.
He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.
Perhaps the most beautiful part of this passage is the union of the three: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. They speak as one. They listen to each other. They represent
one another.
Jesus did not speak his own word, but said, "everything that I heard from my Father, I
have made known to you" (15:15). In his High Priestly Prayer, Jesus will say, "the
words which you have given me I have given to them" (the disciples) (17:8). In like
manner, the Spirit will not speak his own word, but will speak "whatever he hears."
There is a direct line from the Father through the Son and the Spirit to the disciples.
Every word of Jesus and the Spirit is rooted in the truth of the Father. The things that are coming includes more than the upcoming death and resurrection
of Jesus. It includes the various directions the Spirit will give them as they proclaim
the Gospel of salvation. It will also include the things to know about the end times,
as hey occur.
"The power of God, the Spirit, received the presence of God (all the Father has) from
the Son and declares it (i.e., gives it) to the believer. In other words, by the power the
Spirit, God the Father becomes present in the life of the follower."
St. Bede: "It is certain that many filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit have foreknown future events. But as many gifted saints have never had this power, the words, He will show you things to come, may be taken to mean, bring back to your minds the Joys of your heavenly country. He did however inform the Apostles of what was to come, viz. of the evils that they would have to suffer for Christ’s sake, and the good things they would receive in recompense."
He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."
We are given a portrait of the three persons of the Trinity. Jesus speaks of himself, of the Spirit’s activities, and of the Father.
St. Chrysostom: "Having said then, you cannot bear them now, but then you shall be able, and, The Holy Spirit shall lead you into all truth; lest this should make them suppose that the Holy Spirit was the superior, He adds, For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak."
What experiences of God have you had? How powerful were those experiences? How did you feel the presence of God?
"Emptiness and fullness at first seem complete opposites. But in the spiritual life they are not. In the spiritual life we find the fulfillment of our deepest desires by becoming empty for God. We must empty the cups of our lives completely to be able to receive the fullness of life from God. Jesus lived this on the cross. The moment of complete emptiness and complete fullness become the same. When he had given all away to his Abba, his dear Father, he cried out, 'It is fulfilled' (John 19:30). He who was lifted up on the cross was also lifted into the resurrection. He who had emptied and humbled himself was raised up and 'given the name above all other names' (see Philippians 2:7-9). Let us keep listening to Jesus' question: 'Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?'" (Matthew 20:22). (Henri Nouwen) This is a paradox of the Gospel: to live one must die; to become fuller one must become emptier. What must we empty ourselves of? All that is not of God, so that we can become full of that which is God. When we think we have nothing, God will show us we have all that is needed, himself. This is the true journey of the spiritual life: from the dark night of the soul (when I feel totally abandoned) to the bright light of grace (when I will be all and all in God). It is not my doing, but God's.
"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust You always though, I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my struggles alone. Amen." (Thomas Merton) I am sure you have felt this way many times. I know I have. But the truth is that God is with us, leading us on our journey, as long as we remain with him and yield to him. It is like the dream of the man who saw at times two footprints in the sand and at times only one. God reminded him that when he saw only one, it was then God carried him on his shoulder as God led the way.
“The Holy Spirit is the most perfect gift of the Father to men, and yet He is the one gift which the Father gives most easily.” (Thomas Merton) Jesus told us in Luke's Gospel that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks. He wants us to receive the anointed gifts of the Holy Spirit, to witness in the power of the Holy Spirit, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be consciously aware of the in dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, to be attentive to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, to grow in the life of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an option for us but is essential to the full plan of God for our sanctification and salvation. Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Here are some excerpts from her messages.
"The sins of the world are very great ... If men only knew what eternity is, they would
do everything in their power to change their lives. "
"Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell
them to ask graces from Her and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated
together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Ask them to plead for peace from the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to Her. "
"Pray, pray a great deal and make many sacrifices, for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to make sacrifices and to pray for them. "
"I am the Lady of the Rosary, I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask
for pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too
grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary. Let them continue
saying it every day. "
Jesus, you told us that, if we love you and kept your word, you and the Father would dwell within us. Mystery and revealed reality! You also said that you would be with us till the end, for you are Emmanuel, God with us. Mystery and revealed reality! You promised that the Holy Spirit, whom you and the Father will send, will be with us and remain within us. Mystery and reality! My first response is "Lord, I am unworthy to be the temple of your indwelling presence because of my sinfulness." That is the reality! But my second response is "Give me the grace to acknowledge this mystery and to appropriately respond to this reality by my life." May St. Paul's words truly resonate at the core of my being: "I live now, not I but Christ lives in me." Mystery!
"When we speak about the Holy Spirit, we speak about the breath of God, breathing in us. The Greek word for 'spirit' is pneuma, which means 'breath.' We are seldom aware of our breathing. It is so essential for life that we only think about it when something is wrong with it. The Spirit of God is like our breath. God’s spirit is more intimate to us than we are to ourselves. We might not often be aware of it, but without it we cannot live a 'spiritual life.' It is the Holy Spirit of God who prays in us, who offers us the gifts of love, forgiveness, kindness, goodness, gentleness, peace, and joy. It is the Holy Spirit who offers us the life that death cannot destroy. Let us always pray: 'Come, Holy Spirit, come.'”(Henry Nouwen) How conscious are we of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us and with us? Within us, the Spirit brings us into a deeper life of the Trinity. With us, the Spirit is there to lead us in our witness of Jesus. Without the Spirit, where will we really be in our walk with God, in our life as a disciple/witness of Jesus?
The Holy Spirit is called by Jesus "another Advocate". Jesus is the one who stands by us to help and defend us. But He promised that when he would return to the Father, the Holy Spirit will be with us, giving us the words to say, when we are brought before judges for the sake of Jesus' name. Being the Spirit of Truth, his defense of us will be truthful, whether accepted or not by others. Will he also be the Advocate along with Jesus who will sand beside us before the throne of the Father? If so, there we will have the testimony of these two witnesses concerning our life as a son or daughter of God. They can only speak the truth for they know us better than we know ourselves. Therefore, we should take comfort in the divine advocacy of the Spirit and Jesus.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."
That Jesus appeared on the first day of the week is one of the basis for our celebration of the Lord’s Day on Sunday, the first day, in contrast to the Jewish Sabbath which is the seventh day.
The theology in the Gospel of John the Evangelist has a different focus than the other three Gospels. For him it is important to connect the central mysteries of the Paschal Mystery. These are: institution of the Eucharist (the Last Supper/Holy Thursday), the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus (Good Friday/Easter), the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
That the doors were closed and yet Jesus appeared in bodily form shows that the resurrected body is different from the ordinary human body. It has the same qualities but not limited by space and time.
Why do you think Jesus initiates his Easter appearance to the Apostles with the greeting of Peace and ends with the forgiveness of sins? If you had denied the Lord, fled in fear, abandoned him at the time of his greatest need for support, would you be initially excited at his return or would you be expecting a strong reprimand or rejection? Anticipating this fear, Jesus reassures them of his forgiveness and love. How often have we experienced the same fear but received instead Jesus’ loving mercy and forgiveness?
Peace comes as a result of something else: relationship with Jesus. The greater the relationship, the greater is the peace. What is your relationship with Jesus at this point? What was it a year ago?
The peace Jesus gives them is the grace of repentance and salvation. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
They probably thought they were seeing a ghost. Jesus had to reassure them that he was truly risen and alive. How often has God had to reassure us on our journey?
It was his suffering and death that has freed them of their sins and has brought them true reconciliation and peace with God.
Though risen, the marks on his body remain visible so that they know it is the same Jesus. He will carry these brand marks into heaven to be with him forever. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. (Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
Look up the Great Commission in Mt 28:18-20, or Mk 16:15-18.
What Jesus said to the Apostles, he says to each of us. How have we fulfilled this in our lives so far?
Have we personalized and accepted this commission of Jesus?
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit is that of breath. As God in the first creation breathed the breath of life into Adam and Eve, so now in the second creation Jesus breathes the life of the Spirit into the Apostles.
You have been confirmed and empowered with the same gift of the Holy Spirit. To what extent are we conscious of the presence and lead of the Spirit in our daily lives?
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Though God has forgiven our sins, do we still hold on to them by not forgiving ourselves? Do we still hold others in bondage by not asking their forgiveness and forgiving them?
How do you apply this Gospel message to your life today?
Holy Spirit, you are the teacher, sent by the Father and the Son to reveal to us the deeper insights of the sacred truths of revelation. Someone has used the illustration of the life of a rose bud to help us better understand your workings. The bud contains the fullness of the rose in all its beauty and wonder. Initially, we cannot see this fullness, only in time does it develop with proper watering, sunlight, fertilizer, etc. So it is with the revealed truths from God. In Jesus all truth has been revealed. In you, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, we are given in time the fuller understanding of the mystery, as well as the gift of being able to explain this truth to others. Thus, the understanding of the apostles was different than the theologians of the Middle Ages and different from our understanding of today and of the generations to come. The truth remains the same, but there is a development of understanding, inspired by you, that continues until the end. Holy Spirit, continue to teach us. Help us to be docile to your inspiration.
“It is by the Holy Spirit that we love those who are united to us in Christ. The more plentifully we have received of the Spirit of Christ, the more perfectly we are able to love them: and the more we love them the more we receive the Spirit. It is clear, however, that since we love them by the Spirit Who is given to us by Jesus, it is Jesus Himself Who loves them in us.” (Thomas Merton) Do we see the connection that Jesus made, when he taught us how important love is and how important the presence of the Holy Spirit is in our lives? Authentic love is the greatest gift of the Spirit, according to St. Paul. If we need to grow in our love for God and others, ask the Holy Spirit for a fresh outpouring of his gift in our lives. He desires to give it to the extent of the openness we provide him.
"The Holy Spirit makes us bold and urges us to contemplate God’s glory in our daily life and work. It spurs us to experience the mystery of Christ, to make the Word resound in our whole life, in the certainty that he will always have something new to say; he helps us to be ever committed despite our fear of failure, to face dangers and overcome the barriers that separate cultures in order to proclaim the Gospel, to work tirelessly for the continuous renewal of the Church without setting ourselves up as judges of our brothers and sisters." (John Paul II ) To what extent are these movements of the Holy Spirit true in our lives? To what extent do we want or are open to these movements of the Holy Spirit? As we prepare for the celebration of Pentecost, ask the Holy Spirit to stir in us the gifts he desires to give us and for us to use. Pray the Novena to the Holy Spirit that I posted a few days ago.
Jesus said to his disciples: "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Jesus presents in summary the core message they are to preach with its central teaching: his death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins.
Because they are witnesses of this salvific event, they are to tell others. How do we witness the impact in our lives of Jesus’ death and resurrection resulting in the forgiveness of our sins?
In what ways have you experienced God’s love and mercy through the forgiveness of sins over the last month? Have you witnessed that to anyone? And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
He is referring to the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them in power. This conclusion of the Gospel of Luke will tie in with the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles that Luke also wrote.
Do you recognize the role of the Holy Spirit in your own lives and the call to witness to others? Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.
Bethany is on the Mt of Olives across from Jerusalem. It is outside of the village of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
A fuller picture of the Ascension is found in the first chapter of Acts. Reread it. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.
Luke began his Gospel with the appearance of the Angel Gabriel to Zechariah in the Temple in Jerusalem. He ends his Gospel with the Disciples praising God in the Temple. What is God’s message to you as you reflect on this passage?
As we prepare to celebrate your Ascension and the coming of your Holy Spirit on Pentecost, help me, Lord, to reflect on your teachings concerning the gift of the Spirit. You said that the Father desires to give the Holy Spirit to all who ask with certainty and trust in the Father. (Lk 11:13) I ask fervently and sincerely, "Come, Holy Spirit, come like a fresh, new invigorating wind. Come and set my heart ablaze with a greater zeal for the work of the Kingdom. Open the doors that you desire me to enter. Prepare the hearts you wish me to reach out to with the truth of the Gospel. Throughout it all, may I decrease and the Lord Jesus increase.
I plead and welcome a fresh outpouring and a renewed stirring up in me of your presence and gifts, O Holy Spirit. How can I be that witness of saved life and divine love unless you are witnessing through and in me. My speech is empty unless you anoint and empower the sounds and words that flow from my mouth. May signs and wonders confirm what is proclaimed to your glory, O God. Come, Holy Spirit, come. Help me to be attentive to your divine appointments and in faith respond accordingly.
Novena to the
Holy Spirit
May 6-14, 2016
Opening Prayers
All: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of your love. Amen.
V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created:
R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray:
All: O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful by
the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may
be always truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our
Lord. + Amen
Prayers for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Day One - Spirit of Wisdom,
preside over all my thoughts, words and actions, so that in all things I may
love God for His own sake above all things. Amen.
V. Holy Mary, Seat of Wisdom, R. Pray for us.
Day Two - Spirit of Understanding, teach and enlighten
me, so that I may never waver in my faith, but enjoy true peace of mind and
heart.
V. Holy Mary, Queen of Peace, R. Pray for us.
Day Three - Spirit of Knowledge, teach me how to look at
things in their true light, so that I may not be bound by earthly attachments,
but ever rejoice in your heavenly comforts.
V. Holy Mary, Cause of our Joy, R. Pray for us.
Day Four - Spirit of Counsel, grant that I may always
seek your guidance, that my thoughts and actions may be informed by good
judgment, and that whenever my advice is sought by others, it will be offered
with kindness, prudence, truth, and in accordance with God’s will.
V. Mother of Good Counsel, R. Pray for us.
Day Five - Spirit of Fortitude, strengthen my weakness,
so that I may never be discouraged by obstacles in the path of holiness and
virtue, but may willingly accept the trials and difficulties of this life.
V. Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs, R. Pray for us.
Day Six - Spirit of Piety, implant in my soul filial love
toward God my heavenly Father, and brotherly love for all, so that I may
delight in the service of God and my neighbor.
V. Mother of God, our Mother, R. Pray for us.
Day Seven - Spirit of Holy Fear, keep me mindful of the
infinite Majesty of God, keep me from all selfish desires and evil actions,
that I may humbly serve God and others with a clean heart and clear mind.
V. Immaculate Mary, Help of Christians, R.
Pray for us.
Day Eight - O Divine Comforter, we come to you in our
trouble and distress. In the name of Jesus, our Redeemer, come to our
assistance and console us in all our trials and sufferings. Amen.
Day Nine - Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, come into our
hearts; give to all people the brightness of your light, that they may be
pleasing to you in the unity of faith. Amen.
Pope
Leo XIII July 31, 1897
Saint Augustine’s Prayer to the Holy Spirit
All: Holy Spirit, powerful Consoler, sacred Bond of the
Father and the Son, sweet Hope of the afflicted, Descend this day into my heart
and establish therein your amiable empire. Enkindle in my soul — alas! so
tepid! — the salutary flames of your love, that I may be inflamed and that my
soul and body may be subject to \you. I believe that when you dwell in us, you
prepare a dwelling for the Father and the Son. Deign then to come to me.
Come, O sweet Consoler of abandoned souls!
Come, O Protector of those who are in need!
Succor of the afflicted, come and purify me; suffer no
evil desire to take possession of me; heal all my wounds.
Come to me, Strength of the weak, Support of the
wavering;
Come to me, O You who loves the humble and resists the
proud;
Come to me, Hope of the needy, Father of orphans;
Come to me, Star that guides the mariner in his way, and
offers a secure harbor to the shipwrecked;
Come to me, True glory of the living, sole hope of the
dying;
Make me all that you wish me to be, and conduct me by
your grace, so that I may be ever pleasing to you. Amen.
"God became man so that man might become a god." (St Athanasius of Alexandria) What a profound insight into the plan of God for us! We are to become like him. Jesus made it possible for us by becoming one like us in all things but sin, so that we may share his divine life, putting aside sin and its effects as much as possible. We will never be equal to God in our oneness with him. We will always be part of his redeemed creation. But sharing in his life enables us to one day see him face to face without fear or condemnation. We read in the First Letter of John: "And now children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming."(2:28) And later: "Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (3:2) In this way we will become a god.
