The Holy Spirit comes to a person in special ways at Baptism, Confirmation, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Holy Communion, Marriage, Holy Orders, the Sacrament of the Healing of the Sick; he comes when we love God by keeping Jesus’ commandments; he comes when it is in his plan to do so; he comes when we ask our Father.
(1) Ask
The last point is supported by Jesus’ saying: “Ask and you will receive… If you, who are evil, know how to give to your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:9, 13)
Let us be constantly reminded of the presence of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. He is an advocate who intercedes for us before the Father. He imperceptibly influences human beings and earthly events for the good of all. He defends, leads, guides, consoles. He brings wisdom and knowledge, counsel and understanding, fortitude and piety and reverence for God. He is the giver of life, healing, discernment, and many powers and gifts. From him come faith, hope, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, truthfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our Lady in Medjugorje has said that whoever possesses him to the full has everything.
We can ask our Father to give the Holy Spirit to ourselves in a particular situation, or to our loved ones, friends or enemies, to those who are difficult to get along with. Scripture assures us that he will give willingly, lavishly, and without reserve.
Here is a prayer that anyone can use:
“Dear Heavenly Father, in our present need, please give your Holy Spirit to (me, and/or name of another person or persons). I ask this in the name of Jesus. Praise you, good Father, and thank you for your generosity and mercy.”
(2) Pray to the Holy Spirit
Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything.” (John 14:26)
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, about God, about his purposes for us, about life, about truth, about our relationships, about our interests and tasks, about specific problems concerning ourselves, our work, our plans, our spouses, children, friends, relatives, colleagues, strangers…
Do not rely solely on human advice and help; always turn to God first, and trust him. Jesus said, “When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth… and he will reveal to you the things to come.” (John 16:13)
Here is a simple prayer:
“Dear Holy Spirit, please reveal whatever is important to (me, and/or name of another person or persons), and especially at this time, teach us about (name the request). I ask this in Jesus’ name. Praise you, Lord, and thank you.”
Stay connected to the Lord. By these two short prayers, we can keep in conscious touch with God who lives in us at all times. May his peace be felt by those who keep him in their minds and hearts. May his peace come also to their families, parishes, work places, to whomever they meet and wherever they go.
“But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace which the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:26-27)
The Novena to the Holy Spirit presented below is written by George E. Schulhoff, A.H.S., and can be found at http://www.aoths.org/pages/Novena.html.
Nihil obstat: Edward J. Gratsch 02/13/1997.
Imprimatur: Most Rev. Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, 02/19/1997.
Published by Apostles of the Holy Spirit, 2709 Woodburn Ave., Cincinnatti, OH, 45206, USA.
If you follow the instructions strictly, and listen to the Holy Spirit, you will find this exercise very fruitful.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you and whom you received from God?” (1 Cor 6:19).
NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
(Help me to know You)
THE FIRST NOVENA
After Jesus ascended to Heaven His Apostles, together with Mary and other members of the original Christian Church, continued to pray together until the feast of Pentecost when, in accordance with Jesus’ promise, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” These nine days of prayer, reported in Acts 1:14 and 2:3-4, were the first Novena on which all later Novenas have been based.
IN THE YEAR 1879
Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical on the Holy Spirit, in which he ordains that a novena should be held throughout the Church in preparation for the feast of Pentecost.
It is the desire of the Supreme Pontiff that all the faithful should unite in imploring a new abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit, since it is only through this divine Spirit that the blessings of redemption can be brought to the world.
A Novena to the Holy Spirit is the most excellent of all novenas and most appropriate for our times, to give new impetus to devotion to the Holy Spirit.
INTRODUCTION
No one could possibly love you more than God the Holy Spirit. You have given and received only natural love. God’s love is supernatural. His love for you is unlimited.
He created you. Just as you are. Just as He wanted you to be. He wants you to know Him. He wants you to be happy and enjoy this world and this life He gave you.
With His gifts, He gives you all you need to accomplish this. He wants to give you unlimited Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding. He wants to Counsel you and give you Fortitude. He wants to make it easy for you to be close and intimate with Him through His gift to you of Piety. He wants to create in you a love for Him that will satisfy every want and desire you have.
When Jesus lived on the earth with His disciples, they were content to give up everything to follow Him, just to be near Him. With Him, they were safe and if they needed any Counsel they knew He could give them the answers. The disciples had never experienced or even heard of such a source of comfort and Wisdom on earth. So when it was time for Him to leave they were very upset. He assured them by telling them He would send the Paraclete, the Comforter to be with them and with all of His followers.
When He lived as a man He could only be touched and seen and known by as many as humanly possible. By sending His Spirit He could be present, in Spirit, to all, at all times.
The Holy Spirit speaks to you in your thoughts. He prompts or speaks to you in your language, using your grammar and the words you are familiar with and use daily. These thoughts or promptings that come from the Holy Spirit are so natural that unless you are sensitive to His promptings you could easily ignore them or not recognize them as important.
During these nine days of reflection on the Holy Spirit, you will pray, meditate, contemplate, ponder, concentrate, reflect, use your imagination and listen.
The author has practiced this devotion from the age of five to the present day (76 years). He has explained this devotion to numerous others who have accepted the information they received from him. Many have been able to apply the devotion to their own lives and are astonished it has not been taught to a greater extent.
Those who have been instructed personally by the author have been able to acquire the devotion in a matter of weeks, months or several years, and even surpassed what he himself has experienced.
Each day, mull over the thought presented to you, for as long as you can. Read and re- read the day. Each time you get a thought, stop and ponder it. Exhaust it before continuing. Your goal is to listen to your thoughts, not to get through it. Imagine there is no such thing as time. Avoid advancing to the following days in an effort to get new information and ideas to fill in the time and blanks you will have. This is precisely what kills meditation. Too much information. Remember, you are not trying to find thoughts and answers from the same sources you are accustomed to using, such as reading. You are trying to hear new thoughts from a different source. This will not be information, this will be Knowledge. The Holy Spirit will be putting words in your thoughts.
NOTE
At times the author takes the liberty to talk to you as he believes the Holy Spirit has talked to him.
DAY ONE
HELLO!
O Holy Spirit, I begin this Novena by admitting that I do not know you. I know about you, from what I have been told. I have been told how God the Father, my Creator, and God the Son, my Savior, sent You, God the Holy Spirit, to be with me, to comfort me, to be my advocate and to sanctify me.
MUSCLE BUILDER
I am ashamed, after all You have done for me, that I have never taken the time to learn how to open my heart and let You in.
It is my hope, at this moment, that You will give me the strength to be determined and persevere, and to constantly have You as my companion. I know how weak I am since I have had other good intentions and failed. I failed in the past because I did not realize it is You who must provide me with Your seven spiritual gifts.
Your gift of Fortitude will give me the strength I need to complete this Novena. Instill in me, O Holy Spirit, Your gift of Fortitude so that I can carry on, to do what I must do, to complete this Novena.
*******
DAY TWO
I’M SORRY
O Holy Spirit, my curiosity has tempted me to begin reading the second day of my Novena instead of spending this time trying to learn how to listen to Your promptings. I always knew better than my teacher and did not think it would make any difference. I do not let You guide me because I do not know how to listen to You. In fact, I do not even listen to those who have had the experience of learning how to listen.
WAKE ME UP
Give me Your gift of Counsel by reminding me numerous times during this day to talk to You as I would talk to my very best human friend. Counsel me by reminding me to dwell on these thoughts of my first and second day of this Novena.
GIVE ME A SHOVE
Remind me, O Holy Spirit, to express my gratitude to You who have given me so much: my faith, hope and ability to love; my home, friends, relatives and the fact that I have life.
Do not let me be one of the nine lepers who did not return to show gratitude.
Thank You, O Holy Spirit, thank You.
*******
DAY THREE
GET IT!
Already You are giving me, O Holy Spirit, an Understanding of how I must spend this moment thinking about You in my heart. You are beginning to let me Understand that simply by reading this information will not release Your grace. I am beginning to realize Your gift of Understanding comes to me from You, when I take the time to accept Your Counsel. For this realization and the gifts You have given me, thank You, O Holy Spirit.
“AND LEAD US NOT INTO … ”
Please do not lead me into temptation, O Holy Spirit! Do not put me to the test that I must prove to You my faith, by making me wait longer to experience Your presence, if for only one second. This second of knowing that You are in my heart will increase my faith. O Holy Spirit, I do believe, help my unbelief.
Make me Understand the only reason I am starting this third day of getting to know You is through and with the Fortitude You have provided.
If I listen to my pride, I would think I am doing it all by myself.
*******
DAY FOUR
POSSESSED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
When I look back just these three days, I am beginning to be able to see how my life with You will be much richer as I willingly permit You to take possession of me. This ability to see as You see, to the extent that You wish for me to see at this moment, is Your gift of Knowledge.
Who, O Holy Spirit, in heaven or on earth, possesses the Knowledge that is Yours and Yours alone?
Why do I spend so much time seeking mere information from others when You are so willing and anxious to give me this gift that I need? If only I would take the time to learn how to listen to You.
Why do I put so much importance on money, sex, power, intellectualism – things that do not have a mere fraction of the power You have? Why do I spend so much time accumulating money when Jesus promised me that the Father would provide? What good would it do a man if he gained the whole world and suffered the loss of his soul?
Why do I spend so little time listening to You? Is it my lack of faith? Help me to Understand. Show me the way. Lead me, O Kindly Light.
*******
DAY FIVE
THE CREATOR, THE REDEEMER, THE SANCTIFIER
Have you ever heard of anyone who created, or claimed to have created, a soul, as your Father in Heaven has done for you and millions and millions of times over? Have you ever heard of any creature who has paid the price for a soul in sin, and won salvation for them, as Jesus did for you and millions of others?
I am the Holy Spirit the Third Person of the Trinity. Just as no one other than the Father has the power to create a soul from nothing, and just as no one other than the Son has the power to pay the great price for salvation, no one other than I, the Holy Spirit, has the power to sanctify you.
My child, no one else can explain, teach or give you My gifts of Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Wisdom, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord.
I alone can sanctify you and make you worthy to enter Heaven. When you accept these gifts I will reward you with peace, happiness and joy in this life as well as the next. Give me a chance, have faith in me, ask me your questions.
Many of these questions have I put into your thoughts as a way of leading you. Keep pondering these questions until I give you the answers. Prove to Me your faith. Do not give up. Ask for My gift of Fortitude – but never give up. Your time has not come to know the answers to some of these questions. I want you to prove your faith to Me.
You want to know how to recognize the Holy Spirit when I talk to you? I am the only one who can answer this question. Never stop listening for my answer.
*******
DAY SIX
COME
If you take the time to learn to listen to Me, I will give you My gift of Piety. This gift will make you want to be near and close to Me. This gift, if you use it, will bring you to ecstasy in My intimacy. This gift will make everything easy for you, but will not interfere with your free will.
I will give you so much. Give Me your appreciation and gratitude.
I AM PEACE
When you learn how to dismiss all distractions and think only of Me in your heart, you will experience Peace. I, your God, My Holy Spirit, is in the midst of this peace that you experience. The more undivided attention you focus on Me, the greater and deeper will this peace become.
This peace surrounds Me. I am Peace. You will recognize My presence by this peace. Do not make the mistake that so many others do. Relaxation of the body is not peace. Peace, My peace that only I can give, is of the soul.
Relaxation can be obtained in numerous ways, including drugs, sex and money. These are of the body and in excess harm the soul. Your gratitude to Me will increase my gifts to you — just as you give more to those who appreciate you.
*******
DAY SEVEN
OUT OF ORDER?
Your soul was created to be attracted to Me like steel to a magnet.
If you do not take time to learn to listen to Me, my child, you will become confused, as many others have.
The confused try to satisfy their magnetic attraction to Me by substituting drugs that delight their bodies, and for a short time relaxes them. Some express their confusion by other delights of the body, but this is not the peace I offer you.
The confused not only destroy their bodies and minds, but also their souls.
The confused cannot tell the difference between relaxation of the body and the reward of My peace to their souls.
The confused have refused to listen to Me. All human creatures have been given this right – to refuse to listen. All were created with a will that is free, a free will to choose their Creator or reject Him.
If you learn to listen to Me, I will relieve you of your many anxieties and fears. Your doubts and frustrations will be resolved. You will have Peace.
Your will is free. Choose to make it My will.
*******
DAY EIGHT
LOVE – FEAR
No one, O Holy Spirit, not even You, can cite an occasion that could arise in my life here on earth that cannot be more than satisfied by Your seven gifts.
My love for You, O Holy Spirit, increases as I learn to listen to Your Knowledge, Understanding, and Counsel. My love grows as I experience the Fortitude and Piety that You give to me.
Increase in me, O Holy Spirit, Your gift of Fear of the Lord so that I will love You so much I cannot offend You out of Fear of losing You. Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for Your infinite love.
I know Your great love for me by the mere fact that You, and the Father and the Son, created me and gave me life. Just as I love what I have accomplished, so You also love what You have accomplished. It is GOOD.
*******
DAY NINE
COMMON SENSE
The only other spiritual gift that You offer to us if we listen, O Holy Spirit, is the greatest of all Your gifts – Your gift of Wisdom. This gift of Wisdom is the highest compliment man can receive.
Your gift of Wisdom endows us with the ability to use all of Your other six spiritual gifts in their exact proper proportion.
The baker is wise, O Holy Spirit, when he does not use too much of any one ingredient in his cake. The ability to use each of Your spiritual gifts of Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord in exactly the right proportion is the gift of gifts — the gift of Wisdom.
THE END OF THE BEGINNING
This is the ninth day, O Holy Spirit. My intended Novena is completed. I must recognize the fact that You gave me the Fortitude to persevere, the strength which made it easy. You gave me the determination to succeed as You will and in everything that You prompt me to do.
If only I take time to listen for Your gift of Fortitude.
I shall take the time to reminisce on my early childhood and each year up to the present time, to the best of my ability, with your help and Knowledge, O Holy Spirit. I shall dwell on the past few months in particular. You will let me Understand how You have been in my life daily, even though I was not aware of it; how You gave me the grace of Your seven gifts and how often I threw them away by neglecting to use them; how on many occasions Your gifts were there and I did use them, but was under the impression, due to my pride, that I did it all by myself.
But, why does it have to end? Why should it end?
If I have not experienced Your presence in my heart, I shall start over for another nine days if You will only give me the Fortitude.
If I have experienced Your presence in my heart, I will jealously preserve it, relive it, practice listening daily – a perpetual Novena.
My hope is that I will grow into the habit of experiencing Your presence every moment of my consciousness.
CONCLUSION
– Never stop trying
– The Holy Spirit demands faith
– Man invented time
– Time means absolutely nothing to God
– This novena cannot be exhausted
– Every time you make this novena, the Holy Spirit will add to it
– When you pray, you talk to God
– When God talks to you, do you listen?
Steps to pray the Rosary
- Make the Sign of the Cross using the Crucifix
- Pray the Apostles’ Creed
- Pray the Our Father on all the large beads
- Pray 3 Hail Mary
- Pray the Glory Be
- Meditate on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, pray the Our Father on the large bead
- Pray 10 Hail Mary on each of the small beads
- Pray the Glory Be
- Pray the Fatima prayer
- Continue with each Mysteries of the Rosary (step 6 to 9)
- End the Rosary with the Hail Holy Queen
- Make the Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
The Our Father
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with thee; blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory be to the Father
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Fatima Prayer
O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, take all souls to Heaven, and help especially those most in need of Your mercy.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail! Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement! O loving! O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Prayer After The Rosary
O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech Thee, that, meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Joyful Mysteries
(Said on Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays of Advent, and Sundays from Epiphany until Lent)
First Joyful Mystery – The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary
I Desire the Love Of Humility
The humility of the Blessed Virgin when the Angel Gabriel greeted her with these words: “Hail full of grace”.
Luke 1:26
Second Joyful Mystery – The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
I Desire Charity Toward My Neighbor
Mary’s charity in visiting her cousin Elizabeth and remaining with her for three months before the birth of John the Baptist.
Luke 1:39
Third Joyful Mystery – The Birth of Jesus
I Desire the Love of God
The poverty, so lovingly accepted by Mary when she placed the Infant Jesus, our God and Redeemer, in a manger in the stable of Bethlehem.
Luke 2:1
Fourth Joyful Mystery – The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
I Desire a Spirit of Sacrifice
Mary’s obedience to the law of God in presenting the Child Jesus in the Temple.
Luke 2:22
Fifth Joyful Mystery – Finding Jesus in the Temple
I desire Zeal For The Glory Of God
Think of…
The deep sorrow with which Mary sought the Child Jesus for three days, and the joy with which she found Him in the midst of the Teachers of the Temple.
Luke 2:41
The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Said on Tuesdays, Fridays, and daily from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday)
First Sorrowful Mystery – Agony of Jesus in the Garden
I Desire True Repentance for My Sins
Our Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemani, suffering a bitter agony for our sins.
Matthew 26:36
Second Sorrowful Mystery – Jesus is Scourged at the Pillar
I Desire a Spirit of Mortification
The cruel scourging at the pillar that our Lord suffered; the heavy blows that tore His flesh.
Matthew 27:26
Third Sorrowful Mystery – Jesus is Crowned With Thorns
I Desire Moral Courage.
The crown of sharp thorns that was forced upon our Lord’s Head and the patience with which He endured the pain for our sins.
Matthew 27:27
Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – Jesus Carries His Cross
I Desire the Virtue of Patience
The heavy Cross, so willingly carried by our Lord, and ask Him to help you to carry your crosses without complaint.
Matthew 27:32
Fifth Sorrowful Mystery – The Crucifixion of Jesus
I Desire the Grace of Final Perseverance
The love which filled Christ’s Sacred Heart during His three hours’ agony on the Cross, and ask Him to be with you at the hour of death.
Matthew 27:33
The Glorious Mysteries
(Said on Wednesdays, and Sundays throughout the year)
First Glorious Mystery – The Resurrection of Jesus
I Desire a Strong Faith
Christ’s glorious triumph when, on the third day after His death, He arose from the tomb and for forty days appeared to His Blessed Mother and to His disciples.
John 20:1
Second Glorious Mystery – The Ascension of Jesus
I Desire the Virtue of Hope
The Ascension of Jesus Christ, forty days after His glorious Resurrection, in the presence of Mary and His disciples.
Luke 24:36
Third Glorious Mystery – The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
I Desire Zeal for the Glory of God
The descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary and the Apostles, under the form of tongues of fire, in fulfillment of Christ’s promise.
Acts 2:1
Fourth Glorious Mystery – The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
I Desire the Grace of a Holy Death
The glorious Assumption of Mary into Heaven, when she was united with her Divine Son.
Fifth Glorious Mystery – The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
I Desire a Greater Love for the Blessed Virgin Mary
The glorious crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven by her Divine Son, to the great joy of all the Saints.
The Luminous Mysteries
(Said on Thursdays throughout the year)
First Luminous Mystery – The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:17
The Second Luminous Mystery – The Wedding at Cana, Christ Manifested
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
John 2:11
The Third Luminous Mystery – the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Mark 1:15
The Fourth Luminous Mystery – The Transfiguration of Jesus
And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
Matthew 17:2
The Fifth Luminous Mystery – The Last Supper, the Holy Eucharist
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:26
