Introductory Prayer
Come, O Holy Spirit! Enlighten my understanding in order to know your commands; strengthen my heart against the snares of the enemy; enkindle my will ... I have heard your voice, and I do not want to harden my heart and resist, saying, “Later ... tomorrow.” ‘Nunc coepi!’ Right now! Lest there be no tomorrow for me.
O Spirit of truth and of wisdom, Spirit of understanding and of counsel, Spirit of joy and of peace! I want whatever you want; I want because you want; I want as you want; I want whenever you want ...
Ref: St Josemaria Escrivà, “Prayer to the Holy Spirit”. In Postulation for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization, “Historical Registry of the Founder of Opus Dei” 20172, p145.
Obtaining the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
On the eve of this great feast, let us renew our fervor that we may not lose its fruits. Recall and put in practice with redoubled ardor, all the means that may tend to that end. The first of these is recollection which produces peace in the soul and union with God. The Apostles, though in the midst of people, were not of the world. They taught silence and solitude.
If we cannot be silent this day, away from worldly distractions -- let us try to avoid all causes of dissipation eg, over-eagerness at work, trivial conversations. Let us carefully guard our senses and strictly observe the rules of modesty and silence, that we may be “interior men, closely united to God, lending, but not giving, ourselves to exterior things” (“Imitation of Christ”).
Prayer is the second indispensable means to obtain the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles may feel excused from it since Jesus Christ ‘assured’ them that the Holy Spirit would come with all his gifts. Still, they prayed earnestly. They knew that though God bestows his gifts liberally and by his free grace, they must be also the fruits of persevering prayer.
Let us recall the past days, and examine if there has been any relaxation in our prayers. Our inconstancy makes it very probable. If we find it to be so, let us try today to compensate by redoubled fervor. Avoid saying that our numerous occupations today will hinder us from praying much.
Holy Scripture says, ‘Let nothing hinder you from praying always’. We do not pray with our hands, but with our hearts. Let your external occupations be accompanied by frequent raisings of your heart towards God, and they will be changed into prayers. We may thus pray all day long without interruption.
There is a third means which adds greatly to the efficacy of the two preceding. We must take special notice of it on this last day of the novena. This means is the intercession of our Lady, of whom the world’s Redeemer was born, and ‘through whose intercession’, says St Bernard, ‘God grants all our petitions’.
Let us, then, today fix our eyes upon our glorious and powerful Mother. Let us ask her with great confidence to unite her prayers to ours, as she did on this day to those of the Apostles and disciples.
To obtain for us, as she did for them, a copious outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we should do well to insert her name in all our aspirations; and we shall do this more readily as Saturday is always consecrated to her honor.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp289-91
Mary, God-bearer
The Spirit, who made Mary an incomparable masterpiece, at the same time continually teaches and educates the Church to venerate the Virgin (cf Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium”, 53). This must give rise to a Marian religious instruction and piety free from defect or excess.
Mary has an indispensable place in the economy of salvation. She was the one ‘to render Christ our brother’ (St Francis). Her free and loving collaboration with the Spirit makes her a model of every relationship with the Sanctifying Holy Spirit. ...
And if Mary collaborates with the Spirit so ... must the Church docilely make itself available to him to become the ‘mother of saints and martyrs’.
This is true for the Church as a whole and also for every individual Christian. For Jesus to be born in every soul and continue the mystery of the ‘Theotokos’ (God-bearer), the Creator must be in the very hearts of his creatures and the divine Spirit must overshadow them. ...
Let us reread the beautiful prayer by St Ildephonsus of Toledo: “I pray, I pray, O Holy Virgin, that I should have Jesus by that same Spirit by which you engendered Jesus. May my soul receive Jesus, by the work of that Spirit through whom your flesh conceived Jesus himself. ... May I love Jesus in that same Spirit in whom you worship him as Lord and contemplate him as Son.” (“On the Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary”, p12. In Theological-Historical Commission, “The Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life”, 88-90, 1997)
Ref: Theological-Historical Commission, “The Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life”, 88-90, 1997
Prayer of the heart
Your soul’s inclination is very simple and what is simple is best. It turns straight to God, and so you must follow it unfailingly and gently, without effort or eagerness either to keep it or recapture it when your perception of it is gone, otherwise you would be claiming God’s gifts as your own.
Distractions and dryness are fairly frequent in this type of prayer. Yet, endured with patience and self-abandonment, these are themselves excellent prayers. Moreover, though these distractions and aridity be painful, they do not hinder that sustained desire to pray that is found in the depths of the heart. Heartfelt prayer is no other than this.
If you have been using this excellent form of prayer for a whole year, possibly two, a book will not help you. If, however, these periods of helplessness and aridity last for (say) seven or eight consecutive days, by all means take a book, but read it with frequent pauses.
Again, if you find that such reading further distracts or troubles you interiorly, break it off and seek to remain in God’s presence in silent peace, so far as you are able.
You must not be surprised -- still less must you be perturbed -- if what has moved you in the past moves you no longer: such vicissitudes must be endured interiorly as changes of weather and season are endured exteriorly. Not to expect them is to show a singular lack of experience.
Resolutions are rarely used in this kind of prayer. Yet much more good comes of it than of resolutions made during meditation.
Ref: “The Fire of Divine Love: Readings from Jean-Pierre de Caussade”, Edited by Robert Llewelyn, 1995, p84
Concluding Prayer
Holy and divine Spirit! Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your spouse, bring the fullness of your gifts into our hearts. Comforted and strengthened by you, may we live according to your Will and may we die praising your infinite mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Ref: Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ (Editors), “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p2080
Fruitfulness -- “Rectitude of intention consists in seeking ‘only and in all things’ the glory of God.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge”, 921)
• Our Lady of Cranganor, in the East Indies. It is asserted that this church was built by one of the three Magi. — Osorius, t. i„ de Gestis Emman. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Cranganor, India. The church was built by one of the three Magi (52). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Cranganor (India). (http://mariedenazareth.com); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
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