Pentecost Novena
Novena to the Holy Spirit in Preparation for the Solemnity of Pentecost 2023
The novena in honor of the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas. It was first made at the direction of Our Lord when He sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit which are essential in the life of every Christian. The novena can be offered for your intentions, those you love, for our Church, and/or the salvation of the world.
Gatherng Song- Come Holy Ghost
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And in our hearts take up thy rest;
Come with thy grace and heav’nly aid
To fill the hearts which thou hast made,
To fill the hearts which thou hast made.
O Comforter, to thee we cry,
Thou heav’nly gift of God most high;
Thou font of life and fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above,
And sweet anointing from above.
Opening Prayers
Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful
All: and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
Leader: Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.
All: And You shalt renew the face of the earth.
Leader: Let us pray.
All: O God, Who did instruct the hearts of Your faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us by the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of Saint Augustine
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.
Prayer of the Day (See below for specific dates)
Closing Prayer
O God our Father, your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into heaven so that the Holy Spirit would be sent to remain with us until the end of days as our helper and guide. Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us. Fill us His gifts. May we bear His fruits in our lives. May Your Holy Spirit renew our hearts and those of our families and friends. May Your Holy Spirit renew our parish and Your Holy Church. May Your Holy Spirit renew the face of the earth. We ask this of You, loving Father, through Christ our Lord, in the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Song of Mission Spirit of the Living God- Daniel Iverson
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall afresh on me,
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me,
mold me, fill me.
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall afresh on me.
First Day ‑ Friday, May 19
COME, SPIRIT OF WISDOM
Leader: “The Spirit of the Lord fills the whole world and holds all things together.” (Wisdom 1:7)
All: Heavenly Father, in Your kindness, send down upon us, who trust in You, Your Holy Spirit. May He dwell within us to illumine our minds and to guide us. May He strengthen us in following Christ our Lord. May the Holy Spirit’s presence console and comfort us to judge rightly all that concerns our salvation. This we ask through Jesus Christ, Your Son. Amen.
Second Day - Saturday, May 20
COME, SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING
Leader: The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. (Jn 14:26)
All: Father in Heaven, in Your loving mercy and goodness grant us Your Holy Spirit. With His unfailing help we shall understand Your ways and discern Your holy Will. The Paraclete, Your Holy Spirit, will instruct us in everything, reminding us of all Christ taught us. This favor we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Third Day ‑ Sunday, May 21
COME, SPIRIT OF COUNSEL
Leader: “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the Spirit of Wisdom came to me.” (Wisdom 7:7)
All: Almighty Father, You gave Your only Son for our redemption, and confirm His message by the witness of Your Holy Spirit. Inspire us today with His gift of counsel so that we may always know what is best to do, and ever be confirmed in acting rightly. We ask this grace in the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Fourth Day - Monday, May 22
COME, SPIRIT OF FORTITUDE
Leader: “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by His Spirit living in us.” (Romans 5:5)
All: Father All Powerful, in our weakness and sinfulness we fail unless You strengthen us with Your Holy Spirit. Send us, then, His gift of courage to help our human frailty that we may be perfect in doing Your Holy will. In Christ’s name, we ask the gift of fortitude. Amen.
Fifth Day ‑ Tuesday, May 23
COME, SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE
Leader: “God chose those whom the world considers absurd to shame the wise; He singled out the weak to shame the strong.” (I Cor. 1:27)
All: Father All‑wise and All‑knowing, Your Holy Spirit makes known to us your Holy Will and the mind of Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Impart to us the Spirit’s gift of knowledge so that we may appreciate how to prefer the “foolishness” of God to the “wisdom” of men. In Christ’s name we beg this gift of His Spirit. Amen.
Sixth Day ‑ Wednesday, May 24
COME, SPIRIT OF PIETY
Leader: “Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered and was heard for His reverence.” (Hebrews 5:7‑8)
All: Father Most Holy, stir up within us Your Holy Spirit Who endows us with His gift of Piety. The grace of Your Spirit humbles us before Your sanctity and gives us a longing to truly love and serve God and neighbor. May we be confirmed in the Spirit by His gift of piety. We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen.
Seventh Day ‑ Thursday, May 25
COME, SPIRIT OF FEAR OF THE LORD
Leader: “This treasure we possess in earthen vessels to make it clear that its surpassing power comes from God and not from us.” (I Cor. 1:7)
All: Father of All, fill us with the fear of ever displeasing You, which itself is a gift of Your Holy Spirit. Your divine mercy and kindness soften our natural dread of Your blazing might and power. By the inspiration of Your Spirit within us, assist us to serve You with fitting and reverential fear. We humbly implore this in the name of Christ, Your Son. Amen.
Eighth Day ‑ Friday, May 26
COME, FRUITFUL SPIRIT
Leader: “The way we know we remain in Him and He in us is that He has given us of His Spirit.” (I John 4:13)
All: Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Your heavenly fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. May I may never weary in service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Your inspiration, may I be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.
Ninth Day ‑ Saturday, May 27
COME, HOLY SPIRIT, COME
Leader: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.” (Jn 14:16-17)
All: O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven, promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your apostles and disciples, send 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 on 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 of the Lord 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.
Pentecost Sunday - May 28
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
On my knees I 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 have my being.
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.
Grant me grace, O Holy Spirit,
Spirit of the Father and the Son
to say to You always and everywhere,
“Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.”
Amen.
“We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life.” (Creed)