Pentecost Novena ~~ Day 5 ~~

Opening Hymn 

Come Holy Ghost, Creator blessed, and in our hearts take up Thy rest!
Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid, to fill the hearts which Thou hast made,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made! To fill the hearts which Thou hast made!

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

- Tuesday and Friday -

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the strength and light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the least sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always listen to Thy voice, which inspires Holy Mother Church to guide me, and thereby follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy 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 Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, "Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Amen.

Meditation for the Fifth Day:On the Gift of Knowledge

The Gift of Knowledge enables the soul to know those truths essential to our salvation as taught by Holy Mother Church and thereby to evaluate created things as to their true worth--their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of mere creatures, reveals their emptiness, and makes clear their sole 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."

Let us Pray: V. 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.

* Pater, Ave, Gloria

* then we pray  Litany of the Holy Ghost
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Father all powerful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, save us.
Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of Both, sanctify us.
Holy Trinity, hear us.
Holy Ghost, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Holy Ghost, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us.
Ray of heavenly light,
Author of all good,
Source of heavenly water,
Consuming fire,
Ardent charity,
Spiritual unction,
Spirit of love and truth,
Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
Spirit of counsel and fortitude,
Spirit of knowledge and piety,
Spirit of the fear of the Lord,
Spirit of grace and prayer,
Spirit of peace and meekness,
Spirit of modesty and innocence,
Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier,
Holy Ghost, Who governest the Church,
Gift of God, the Most High,
Spirit Who fillest the universe,
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God,

Holy Ghost, inspire us with horror of sin.
Holy Ghost, come and renew the face of the earth.
Holy Ghost, shed Thy light in our souls.
Holy Ghost, engrave Thy law in our hearts.
Holy Ghost, inflame us with the flame of Thy love.
Holy Ghost, open to us the treasures of Thy graces.
Holy Ghost, teach us to pray well.
Holy Ghost, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations.
Holy Ghost, lead us in the way of salvation.
Holy Ghost, grant us the only necessary knowledge.
Holy Ghost, inspire in us the practice of good.
Holy Ghost, grant us the merits of all virtues.
Holy Ghost, make us persevere in justice.
Holy Ghost, be Thou our everlasting reward.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, send us Thy Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety.

V. Come Holy Ghost! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful.
R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

Let us Pray. Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works; through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth forever and ever. Amen.

* in the end we pray the Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into Heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thy Apostles and their apostolic successors, the Bishops of the Church, grant me through obedience to Them, the grace of the Holy Ghost that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy 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 Thy 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 all of my crosses with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all 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; 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 Thy true disciples and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.