Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts of the Spirit
Act of the consecration of the Holy Spirit
On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly
witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God.
I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your
justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of
my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by
unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the
smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant
that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and
follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You
and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding
the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting
in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I
implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your
grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit,
Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere,
"Speak Lord for Your servant heareth." Amen.
To be recited daily during the Novena
PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven
did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of
Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me
that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love.
Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things
of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the
Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your
divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest
way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I
may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the
obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may
know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints,
the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and
amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving
reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark
me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in
all things with Your Spirit. Amen.
(To be recited daily during the Novena)
FIRST DAY (Friday, May
14th)
Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From
Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming radiance give!
The Holy Spirit
Only one thing is important -- eternal salvation. Only
one thing, therefore, is to be feared--sin· Sin is the result of
ignorance, weakness, and indifference The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of
Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens
the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God.
To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for
"The Spirit helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for
as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us."
Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to
regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and hast given us
forgiveness all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us your
sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of
Counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us
with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
SECOND DAY (Saturday, May
15th)
Come. Father of the poor. Come,
treasures which endure; Come, Light of all that live!
The Gift of Fear
The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for
God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin. It is a
fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of
reverence and filial submission
to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the
beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in
any way separate us from God. "They that fear the Lord will prepare
their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls."
Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost
heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God, before my face forever, help
me to shun all things that can offend You, and make me worthy to appear
before the pure eyes of Your Divine Majesty in heaven, where You live
and reign in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God world without
end. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
THIRD DAY (Sunday May
16th)
Thou, of all consolers best,
Visiting the troubled breast, Dost refreshing peace bestow.
The Gift of Piety
The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial
affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and
respect for His sake persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as
those who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the
Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our
country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds
the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but a delightful
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 find satisfaction only
in His service, and for His sake lovingly submit to all legitimate
authority. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
FOURTH DAY (Monday, May
17th)
Thou in toil art comfort sweet,
Pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe.
The Gift of Fortitude
The Gift of Fortitude By the gift of Fortitude the soul
is strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the
performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy
which move it to under take without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to
face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without
complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "He that
shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved."
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in
time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness,
strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my
enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God
and greatest Good. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
FIFTH DAY (Tuesday, May
18th)
Light immortal! Light Divine!
Visit Thou these hearts of Thine, And our inmost being fill!
The Gift of Knowledge
The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate
created things at their true worth--in their relation to God. Knowledge
unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points
out their only true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It
shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to
glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put
first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else.
"Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it."
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I
may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly
things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Thy glory
and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to Thee, and Thy eternal
rewards. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
SIXTH DAY (Wednesday, May
19th)
If Thou take Thy grace away,
nothing pure in man will stay, All his good is turn'd to ill.
The Gift of Understanding
Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to
grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion by faith we know
them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It
enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through
them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile
and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony
to the faith that is in us; we begin to "walk worthy of God in all
things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our
minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and
may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the
light of glory to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the
Son. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
SEVENTH DAY (Thursday,
May 20th)
Heal our wounds--our strength
renews; On our dryness pour Thy dew, Wash the stains of guilt away.
The Gift of Counsel
The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural
prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done,
especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles
furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete
cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents,
teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is
supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of
salvation. "Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may
direct thy way in truth."
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my
ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which
is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the
straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which
I long.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
EIGHTH DAY (Friday, May
21st)
Bend the stubborn heart and will,
melt the frozen warm the chill. Guide the steps that go astray!
The Gift of Wisdom
Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all
the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it
is written "all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches
through her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith,
fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in
the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish
things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their
savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to
the words of the Saviour: "Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke
is sweet and my burden light.
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the
mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and
beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and
satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for
ever. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
NINTH DAY (Saturday, May
22nd,
Vigil of Pentecost)
Thou, on those who evermore Thee
confess and Thee Adore, in Thy sevenfold gift, 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 supernatural
virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine
inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the
direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and
generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave
the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the
Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more
attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in
the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign.
Prayer
Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly
fruits, Thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith,
mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God,
but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be
united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for
the Seven Gifts
