THE 9-DAY NOVENAOF THE HOLY SPIRIT

PREPARES YOUFOR PENTECOST!

Starts the FridayAfter Ascension Thursday

It can be done anytimeof the year!

Imprimatur ---- Patrick A. O'Boyle, D.D.Archbishop of Washington

Washington, March 12, 1948

1981 Edition

Note as You Pray this Novena

You will find on the following pages a Prayer for the Seven gifts of theHoly Spirit and an Act of Consecration to the Holy Spirit. These two prayers aresaid everyday of the Novena. With these two prayers, there is also a daily page ofprayers to be said each day of the Novena. May the Holy Spirit fill our parish,your family and you on Pentecost Day.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTSOF THE HOLY SPIRIT

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who before ascending intoheaven, did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your workin the souls of your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant thesame Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul thework of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit ofWisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this worldand aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit ofUnderstanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Yourdivine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose thesurest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit ofFortitude that I may bear my cross with you and that I mayovercome with courage all the obstacles that oppose mysalvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God andknow myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, theSpirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet andamiable, the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a lovingreverence towards God and may dread in any way to displeaseHim. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciplesand animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TOTHE HOLY SPIRIT

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenlywitnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal

Spirit of God. I adorethe brightness of Yourpurity, the unerringkeenness of Yourjustice, and the mightof Your love. You arethe strength and Lightof my soul. In You Ilive and move and am. I desire never to grieveYou by unfaithfulness

to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from thesmallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my everythought and grant that I may always watch for Your Lightand listen to your voice and follow Your graciousinspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and askYou by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His FiveWounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring Hisopened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You AdorableSpirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep in Your grace that Imay never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit,Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to You always andeverywhere, "Speak Lord, for Your servant is listening." Amen.

FIRST DAY

Holy Spirit! Lord of Light!From Your clear celestial height,

Your pure beaming radiance give!

THE HOLY SPIRIT

Only onething is important--eternal salvation. Only one thing,therefore, is to befeared--sin. Sin is theresult of ignorance,weakness, andindifference. TheHoly Spirit is theSpirit of Light, ofStrength, and ofLove. With Hissevenfold gifts, heenlightens the mind,He strengthens thewill, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure oursalvation, we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for "TheSpirit helps our infirmity. We know not what we should prayfor as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asks for us."

PRAYER

Almighty and eternal God, Who has promised to regenerate usby water and the Holy Spirit, and has given us forgiveness ofall sins, send forth from heaven upon us Your sevenfoldSpirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit ofCounsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, andfill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

SECOND DAY

Come, Father of the poor!Come, treasures which

endure!Come, Light of all that live!

THE GIFT OF FEAR

The gift of fear fillsus with a sovereign respectfor God, and makes us dreadnothing so much as to offendHim by sin. It is a fear thatarises, not from the thoughtof hell, but from sentimentsof reverence and filialsubmission to our heavenlyFather. It is the fear that isthe beginning of wisdom,detaching us from worldlypleasures that could in anyway separate us from God. "They that fear the Lord willprepare their hearts, and inHis sight will sanctify theirsouls."

PRAYER

Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmostheart, that I may set You, my Lord and God, before myface forever; help me to shun all things that can offendYou, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyesof Your Divine Majesty in heaven, where You live andreign in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God worldwithout end. Amen.

THIRD DAY

Thou, of all consolers best,Visiting the troubled breast,

Does refreshing peace bestow.

THE GIFT OF PIETY

The gift of Piety begets in ourhearts a filial affection for God as ourmost loving Father. It inspires us tolove and respect for His sake personsand things consecrated to Him, as

well as those who are vested with His authority, HisBlessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visibleHead, our parents and superiors, our country and itsrulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds thepractice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but adelightful 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 findsatisfaction only in His service, and for His sake lovinglysubmit to all legitimate authority. Amen.

FOURTH DAY

Thou in toil are comfort sweet;Pleasant coolness in the heat;Solace in the midst of woe.

THE GIFT OFFORTITUDE

By the gift ofFortitude the soul isstrengthened againstnatural fear, andsupported to the endin the performance ofduty. Fortitudeimparts to the will animpulse and energywhich move it toundertake without

hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, totrample under foot human respect, and to endure withoutcomplaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelongtribulation. "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shallbe saved."

PRAYERCome, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul intime of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts afterholiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courageagainst all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never beovercome and separated from You, my God and greatestGood. Amen.

FIFTH DAY

Light immortal! Light Divine!Visit Thou these hearts of Thine,

And our inmost being fill!

THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE

The gift of Knowledgeenables the soul toevaluate created thingsat their true worth--intheir relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense ofcreatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out theironly true purpose as instruments in the service of God. Itshows us the loving care of God even in adversity, anddirects us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize thefriendship of God beyond all else. "Knowledge is afountain of life to him that possesses it."

PRAYER

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that Imay perceive the will of the Father; show me thenothingness of earthly things, that I may realize theirvanity and use them only for Your glory and my ownsalvation, looking ever beyond them to You, and Youreternal rewards. Amen.

SIXTH DAY

If You take Your grace away,Nothing pure in man will stay,

All his good is turned to ill.

THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helpsus to grasp the meaning of thetruths of our holy religion. Byfaith we know them, but byunderstanding we learn toappreciate and relish them. Itenables us to penetrate theinner meaning of revealedtruths and through them to bequickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile

and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bearseloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to"walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasingin the knowledge of God."

PRAYER

Come, O Spirit of Understanding and enlighten ourminds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries ofsalvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light inYour Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear visionof You and the Father and the Son. Amen.

SEVENTH DAY

Heal our wounds--our strength renew;On our dryness pour Your dew;Wash the stains of guilt away!

THE GIFT OF COUNSEL

The gift of Counsel endows the soul withsupernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly andrightly what must be done, especially in difficultcircumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished

byKnowledgeandUnderstanding to theinnumerableconcretecases that

confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents,teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counselis supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in thequest of salvation. "Above all these things, pray to theMost High, that He may direct your way in truth."

PRAYER

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all myways, that I may always do Your holy will. Incline myheart to that which is good; turn it away from all that isevil, and direct me by the straight path of YourCommandments to that goal of eternal life for which Ilong. Amen.

EIGHTH DAY

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

THE GIFT OF WISDOM

Embodyingall the other gifts, ascharity embraces allthe other virtues,Wisdom is the mostperfect of the gifts. Of Wisdom it iswritten "all goodthings came to mewith her, andinnumerable richesthrough her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith,fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practiceof virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens themind to discern and relish things divine, in theappreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilethe Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according tothe words of the Savior: "Take up your cross and followMe, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light."

PRAYER

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul themysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness,power, and beauty, teach me to love them above andbeyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them forever. Amen.

NINTH DAY

You, on those who evermoreYou confess and you adore,

In Your sevenfold gifts, 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 supernaturalvirtues by enabling us to practice them with greaterdocility to divine inspiration. As we grow in theknowledge and love of God under the direction of the HolySpirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, thepractice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leavethe heart filled with joy and consolation and are known asFruits of the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render andpractice of virtue more attractive and become a powerfulincentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, toserve Whom is to reign.

PRAYER

Come, o Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Your heavenlyfruits, your charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity,goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance, that I maynever weary in the service of God, but by continuedfaithful submission to your inspiration may merit to beunited eternally with you in the love of the Father and theSon. Amen.

Come, Holy Spirit, come!And from your celestial home

Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!Come, source of all our store!

Come, within our bosoms shine!

You, of comforters the best;You, the soul's most welcome guest;

Sweet refreshment here below;

In our labor, rest most sweet;Grateful coolness in the heat;

Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,Shine within these hearts of your,

And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, man has naught,Nothing good in deed or thought,

Nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;On our dryness pour your dew;

Wash the stains of guilt away;

Bend the stubborn heart and will'Melt the frozen, warm the chill;

Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adoreAnd confess you, evermore

In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give them virtue's sure reward;Give them your salvation, Lord;

Give them joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia.

Personal Notes