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.
Invoking the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit bore witness to Jesus in the most striking manner by proving to the world that Jesus is the Son of God, Saviour of men, Judge of the living and the dead. He led men to worship a crucified God, and to crucify all the concupiscences of their own flesh.
He made the cause of Jesus to triumph over all the malice of whoever opposed the preaching of his Gospel. He gave courage to women and children, making them despise a cruel death and suffer the most fearful torture for the love of Jesus.
Jesus had foretold these marvellous effects of the operation of the Holy Spirit, who was to guide the Church after his Ascension. He had solemnly promised to send him to the Apostles, telling them that without his help they could do nothing; with it they would work miracles of conversion and sanctification.
He desired, nevertheless, that they should ask for him and be disposed to receive him by constant and fervent prayer. The same conditions apply to us if we hope to produce any fruit in our labor for souls.
Experience must have taught us that, without the help of the Holy Spirit, all our efforts are in vain and fruitless. Hence comes the practice introduced in the Church since she began, and in prayer groups, of invoking the Holy Spirit before every important undertaking; even before all ordinary actions of the day.
After saying, “He will give testimony of me”, Jesus promptly added, “and you will give testimony in Jerusalem, in all Judaea, Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). We know how faithfully the Apostles fulfilled this great and glorious mission.
They made known their Master’s name in all the world, and caused him to be adored despite all the opposition of men and devils. They destroyed the idols, and overthrew the temples of the heathens’ false gods. They changed the world from pagan to Christian, and founded the Church of Jesus Christ, which twenty centuries have neither changed nor shaken.
Those who worked all these miracles were twelve poor, weak and ignorant fishermen. Why did Jesus choose such instruments to lay the foundations of his Church? 1) To prove that it is a divine, not a human, institution, claiming therefore our obedience and submission; 2) that our weakness and unworthiness should not deter us from undertaking great things for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp276-8
Mary and the Spirit at the foot of the Cross
The Spirit was not only present at the birth of Christ; but also accompanied Mary during the growth of Jesus, even in the most difficult and mysterious moments when she had need to ‘meditate’ and interiorize these events so that she could become more deeply aware of their importance and significance (see Lk 2:19, 49-51).
“I am convinced that no man can exist capable of suffering as much as the Virgin suffered.” (Nicholas Cabasilas, “Homily on the Assumption”, 11) Even at the foot of the Cross Mary had need of special assistance from the Spirit. She did not leave when faced with the harshness of the death of the Son, but pronounced her 'yes' in the Spirit and became the mother of those for whom Christ offered his life.
In the “Upper Room”, afterwards, Mary invokes the Father with her supplications until he sends his Spirit: “But since it had pleased God not to manifest solemnly the mystery of the salvation of the human race before he would pour forth the Spirit promised by Christ, we see the apostles before the day of the Pentecost ‘preserving with one mind in prayer with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with his brethren’” (Acts 1:14); “and we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation.” (“Lumen Gentium”, 59)
The Virgin, completely penetrated and transformed by the Spirit, is ‘vivified’ by him and ‘redeemed’ even from corporal decay and ‘assumed’ into heaven. By her sublime holiness and radical transformation through the Spirit, Mary had already, during her life, a “spiritualized body, that is, one transformed by the Spirit” (“Lumen Gentium”, 59).
She was so completely penetrated by him who is the Lord and gives life that she possessed the source of immortal life. The Virgin had that life in the Spirit while she lived on earth, although hidden. However, when her earthly life ended, she radiated immortality in the same way as Christ did after his death. (Nicholas Cabasilas, Op cit, 10-11)
Ref: Cf Theological-Historical Commission, “The Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life”, 82-3, 1997
The Spirit, Mankind and the Cosmos
The Apostolic Constitution “Gaudium et Spes” of Vatican II pictures the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world as a mysterious agent of evangelization that leads all and everybody to the achievement and fulfilment of the mystery of Christ.
He acts in the heart of all to enable them to adhere to the Paschal mystery (GS 22);
He accompanies the life of the Church and guides the evolution of all the evangelical ferments towards the good: “The Spirit of evolution of God, who, with providence, directs the course of time and renews the face of the earth, assists this development” (GS 26);
He urges interiorly and incessantly the heart of the human person (GS 11); leads history to its fulfilment.
It is the Holy Spirit that touches man’s heart to renew and lift, opening human feelings to a filial relationship of prayer. Thus, the cultic and cultural wealth can be assumed and clarified in a liturgy of the Spirit within the Catholic Church. Cosmos and history are introduced into the dynamics of the whole liturgical symbolism, anticipating the new creation and the new humanity.
Well-known is the expression of St Ambrose, quoted also by St Thomas Aquinas: “Every truth, and whoever says it, comes from the Spirit.” ...
Ref: Cf “The Spirit is Lord and Gives Life”, Pauline’s Publishing House, 1997, p22
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
• Our Lady of the Hill, at Fribourg, where many miracles are wrought. — Triple Couronne, n. 85. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of the Hill, Lombardy, Italy (4th Century). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com)
• Our Lady of the Hill. Fribourg, Switzerland; Lombardy, Italy. 4th Century. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of the Hill. At Fribourg, Switzerland 4th century. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of the Holy Letter. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady, Queen of Apostles. Moveable feast -- Saturday after Ascension Thursday. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.starharbor.com/santiago/m feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Queen of the Apostles (“Regina Apostolorum”). Moveable feast -- Saturday within the Octave of Ascension Thursday. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.starharbor.com/santiago/m feasts.html)
• Queen of the Apostles. Harrison Blvd, Pasay City MM PHL. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
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