NOVENA OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Copyright © 2012 by the Church of Antioch
Copyright © 2018 by the Nicene Catholic Apostolic Church
The Novena of the Holy Spirit is designed to serve both in the office of a spiritual exercise and as a devotion.
This prayer and meditation, with its intention to realise inwardly the presence and operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and so to advance the personal spiritual life by their contemplation, is to be conducted fully on each of nine consecutive days.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit, seven in number, are:
1. WISDOM – The desire for the things of God, the desire to dedicate our life and all our actions to his glory.
2. UNDERSTANDING – Knowledge of the mysteries of faith and our participation therein.
3. COUNSEL – Reception of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the welcoming of light and certainty.
4. FORTITUDE – The strength to do the will of God always, to fight the good fight.
5. KNOWLEDGE – The realisation of the will of God in all things.
6. DEVOTION - Love of God the Father, and dutiful obedience to his will because of that love.
7. AWE – Wonderment of God: reverence for his works, his infinite loving-kindness and his splendour.
This Novena has many levels of symbolism and application, and the aspirant should initially be satisfied simply to work through it at his or her own pace and level of understanding and experience. Through repetition, familiarity and increased facility of technique, the riches and virtue of the prayer will be more fully realised, will be made more clearly present to the awareness, and will be made more vital in operation and effect
At a later stage of use, when the aspirant has become thoroughly familiar with the material, the ‘Gloria’, which occurs in each of the five mysteries may be said seven times, as is traditional; and with each of the seven utterances may be in-woven a mental reflection upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit, one to each utterance of the Gloria, in the order indicated above, for each of the five mysteries. But this addition, though encouraged, is optional.
The ‘Praise to the Mother of God’ may, if preferred, be replaced by the ‘Hail Mary’.
NOVENA
PREPARATION
In the name of the Father and of + the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gracious God, I come before you, trusting in your great and loving kindness.
I adore you.
My soul praises you and blesses your holy name.
For all my failings towards you, most loving Lord, towards my fellow human beings, and towards myself, I am truly repentant.
Hear me, O God of Truth.
I open my heart to you. I welcome the outpouring of your healing light, and with the aid of your grace I will walk henceforth in the paths of righteousness.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
HYMN
1
Come, thou Holy Spirit, come,
And from thy celestial home,
Thine unclouded light impart.
Come, thou father of the poor;
All good gifts are from thy store;
Come, illumine every heart.
2
Thou of comforters the best,
Thou the soul’s most welcome guest,
Sweet refreshment here below;
Who in toil art rest complete,
Tempered coolness in the heat,
Solace in the midst of woe.
3
O most blessed light divine,
Shine within these hearts of thine,
And our inmost being fill.
Where thou art not, we have nought,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
4
Heal our wounds, our strength renew,
On our dryness pour thy dew,
Wash the taint of guilt away.
Bend the stubborn heart and will,
Melt the frozen, warm the chill,
Guide the steps that go astray.
5
On the faithful, who adore
And confess thee, evermore
In thy sevenfold gifts descend.
Give them virtue’s sure reward,
Give them thy salvation, Lord,
Give them joys that never end.
Omnipotent and loving God, grant that I may be so infused with the light of your Holy Spirit that I may truly feel within myself the presence and the effective operation of his sevenfold gifts of grace: the gifts of wisdom and of understanding, the gifts of counsel and of fortitude, the gifts of knowledge and of devotion, and the gift of awe. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
1 – THE BREATH (The First Mystery)
Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: The humble setting of the Virgin’s house, with implements of cooking and housework, the young innocent girl, the radiant angelic being. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
The Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and spoke to her, saying: ‘Hail, highly favoured one. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women’. Mary was troubled, and considered what kind of greeting this might be. The Angel Gabriel again spoke to Mary, saying: ‘The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God’. Mary said to Gabriel: ‘I am the Lord’s servant, let it be done to me according to your word’.
SILENT PRAYER
Pray for the assistance of the Spirit of God, and for the intercession of Blessed Mary, to imitate the virtues of Jesus Christ who is the pattern of every virtue, in order that you may be conformed to the image of the Son of God.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
2 – THE BODY (The Second Mystery)
The Spirit of the Lord rests upon Jesus.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: The river Jordan, with its murmuring, moving water; the banks of the river, with here and there onlookers; the young man Jesus standing in the river. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
And Jesus being baptized went up immediately from the water of the Jordan; and behold, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’.
SILENT PRAYER
Give thanks for the precious gift of sanctifying grace which was infused into your heart in Baptism by the Holy Spirit.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
3 – JUSTICE (The Third Mystery)
Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: The vast, barren expanses of the desert plain, with here and there stunted bushes; the rocky hills; the empty silence and the hot, still air of the day; a cold, sighing wind beneath the stars of night; the lone man; the lurking shadow. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the desert for the space of forty days, and was tempted by the evil one.
SILENT PRAYER
Give thanks for the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit given to you in Confirmation: for the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, of Counsel and Fortitude, of Knowledge and Devotion, and of Awe. Give thanks that through the divine guidance and strength you are fitted to act worthily in all temptations and perils, as becomes a Soldier of Christ.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
4 – MERCY (The Fourth Mystery)
The Holy Spirit in the Church.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: A room, in which the disciples are seated, met together by high motivation for high purpose; the sound of tremendous rushing wind; the appearance of brilliant tongues of fire, which rest upon the disciples. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
SILENT PRAYER
Give thanks to God that he has made you a part of his Church, which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and which is always quickened and governed by the presence of his Holy Spirit.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
5 – GLORY (The Fifth Mystery)
The Holy Spirit in the souls of the just.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: a region of light, stillness, profound peace and happiness; and then, from time to time in this place, the coming of a rushing wind. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound thereof, but you cannot tell whence it comes or whither it goes; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
And God said, ‘Let there be Light; and there was Light’.
Know you not that your body is the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells within you?
The Spirit is Life. As many as are led by the Spirit, they are the Children of God.
SILENT PRAYER
Be mindful of the Holy Spirit who is in you. Aspire to that aspect of the godhead. Be receptive to the divine inspirations, and seek to discover the gifts of the Holy Spirit within your heart.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
CONCLUSION OF THE MEDITATION
Reflect upon the course of the meditation and then, when you are ready, withdraw gently from it.
Finally, say the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
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 the life everlasting.
Amen.
To God the Father who made us, to God the Son who redeemed us, and to God the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us,
be ascribed all honour and glory, both now and throughout the ages of ages. Amen.
Copyright © 2012 by the Church of Antioch
Copyright © 2018 by the Nicene Catholic Apostolic Church
The Novena of the Holy Spirit is designed to serve both in the office of a spiritual exercise and as a devotion.
This prayer and meditation, with its intention to realise inwardly the presence and operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and so to advance the personal spiritual life by their contemplation, is to be conducted fully on each of nine consecutive days.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit, seven in number, are:
1. WISDOM – The desire for the things of God, the desire to dedicate our life and all our actions to his glory.
2. UNDERSTANDING – Knowledge of the mysteries of faith and our participation therein.
3. COUNSEL – Reception of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the welcoming of light and certainty.
4. FORTITUDE – The strength to do the will of God always, to fight the good fight.
5. KNOWLEDGE – The realisation of the will of God in all things.
6. DEVOTION - Love of God the Father, and dutiful obedience to his will because of that love.
7. AWE – Wonderment of God: reverence for his works, his infinite loving-kindness and his splendour.
This Novena has many levels of symbolism and application, and the aspirant should initially be satisfied simply to work through it at his or her own pace and level of understanding and experience. Through repetition, familiarity and increased facility of technique, the riches and virtue of the prayer will be more fully realised, will be made more clearly present to the awareness, and will be made more vital in operation and effect
At a later stage of use, when the aspirant has become thoroughly familiar with the material, the ‘Gloria’, which occurs in each of the five mysteries may be said seven times, as is traditional; and with each of the seven utterances may be in-woven a mental reflection upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit, one to each utterance of the Gloria, in the order indicated above, for each of the five mysteries. But this addition, though encouraged, is optional.
The ‘Praise to the Mother of God’ may, if preferred, be replaced by the ‘Hail Mary’.
NOVENA
PREPARATION
In the name of the Father and of + the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gracious God, I come before you, trusting in your great and loving kindness.
I adore you.
My soul praises you and blesses your holy name.
For all my failings towards you, most loving Lord, towards my fellow human beings, and towards myself, I am truly repentant.
Hear me, O God of Truth.
I open my heart to you. I welcome the outpouring of your healing light, and with the aid of your grace I will walk henceforth in the paths of righteousness.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
HYMN
1
Come, thou Holy Spirit, come,
And from thy celestial home,
Thine unclouded light impart.
Come, thou father of the poor;
All good gifts are from thy store;
Come, illumine every heart.
2
Thou of comforters the best,
Thou the soul’s most welcome guest,
Sweet refreshment here below;
Who in toil art rest complete,
Tempered coolness in the heat,
Solace in the midst of woe.
3
O most blessed light divine,
Shine within these hearts of thine,
And our inmost being fill.
Where thou art not, we have nought,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
4
Heal our wounds, our strength renew,
On our dryness pour thy dew,
Wash the taint of guilt away.
Bend the stubborn heart and will,
Melt the frozen, warm the chill,
Guide the steps that go astray.
5
On the faithful, who adore
And confess thee, evermore
In thy sevenfold gifts descend.
Give them virtue’s sure reward,
Give them thy salvation, Lord,
Give them joys that never end.
Omnipotent and loving God, grant that I may be so infused with the light of your Holy Spirit that I may truly feel within myself the presence and the effective operation of his sevenfold gifts of grace: the gifts of wisdom and of understanding, the gifts of counsel and of fortitude, the gifts of knowledge and of devotion, and the gift of awe. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
1 – THE BREATH (The First Mystery)
Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: The humble setting of the Virgin’s house, with implements of cooking and housework, the young innocent girl, the radiant angelic being. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
The Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and spoke to her, saying: ‘Hail, highly favoured one. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women’. Mary was troubled, and considered what kind of greeting this might be. The Angel Gabriel again spoke to Mary, saying: ‘The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God’. Mary said to Gabriel: ‘I am the Lord’s servant, let it be done to me according to your word’.
SILENT PRAYER
Pray for the assistance of the Spirit of God, and for the intercession of Blessed Mary, to imitate the virtues of Jesus Christ who is the pattern of every virtue, in order that you may be conformed to the image of the Son of God.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
2 – THE BODY (The Second Mystery)
The Spirit of the Lord rests upon Jesus.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: The river Jordan, with its murmuring, moving water; the banks of the river, with here and there onlookers; the young man Jesus standing in the river. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
And Jesus being baptized went up immediately from the water of the Jordan; and behold, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’.
SILENT PRAYER
Give thanks for the precious gift of sanctifying grace which was infused into your heart in Baptism by the Holy Spirit.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
3 – JUSTICE (The Third Mystery)
Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: The vast, barren expanses of the desert plain, with here and there stunted bushes; the rocky hills; the empty silence and the hot, still air of the day; a cold, sighing wind beneath the stars of night; the lone man; the lurking shadow. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the desert for the space of forty days, and was tempted by the evil one.
SILENT PRAYER
Give thanks for the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit given to you in Confirmation: for the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, of Counsel and Fortitude, of Knowledge and Devotion, and of Awe. Give thanks that through the divine guidance and strength you are fitted to act worthily in all temptations and perils, as becomes a Soldier of Christ.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
4 – MERCY (The Fourth Mystery)
The Holy Spirit in the Church.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: A room, in which the disciples are seated, met together by high motivation for high purpose; the sound of tremendous rushing wind; the appearance of brilliant tongues of fire, which rest upon the disciples. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
SILENT PRAYER
Give thanks to God that he has made you a part of his Church, which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and which is always quickened and governed by the presence of his Holy Spirit.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
5 – GLORY (The Fifth Mystery)
The Holy Spirit in the souls of the just.
MEDITATION
Mentally compose the place: a region of light, stillness, profound peace and happiness; and then, from time to time in this place, the coming of a rushing wind. Freely, but reasonably, develop this composition. Then, slowly and reflectively, read aloud the following:
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound thereof, but you cannot tell whence it comes or whither it goes; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
And God said, ‘Let there be Light; and there was Light’.
Know you not that your body is the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells within you?
The Spirit is Life. As many as are led by the Spirit, they are the Children of God.
SILENT PRAYER
Be mindful of the Holy Spirit who is in you. Aspire to that aspect of the godhead. Be receptive to the divine inspirations, and seek to discover the gifts of the Holy Spirit within your heart.
LORD’S PRAYER
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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAISE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
O Woman full of Grace, O Bride Unwedded, holiest of the Saints;
O Mother of the Star which sets not, O Dawn of the Mystic Day;
O you who showed us Christ, the Lord and Lover of mankind:
Remember us, and pray for us to the Father.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your light and your power; bestow in us the sevenfold gifts of grace, and kindle within us the fire of your love.
GLORIA
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.
CONCLUSION OF THE MEDITATION
Reflect upon the course of the meditation and then, when you are ready, withdraw gently from it.
Finally, say the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
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 the life everlasting.
Amen.
To God the Father who made us, to God the Son who redeemed us, and to God the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us,
be ascribed all honour and glory, both now and throughout the ages of ages. Amen.