Mass was offered this morning for the repose of the souls of our deceased Parishioners. May they and may the souls of all the Faithful departed rest in peace. I once saw at the back of a church a large and covered notice-board that had pinned on it many orders of service and memorial cards. I think that's a wonderful idea, and something we could perhaps try to erect here. Similarly, we could compile a book of remembrance, so that our deceased Parishioners may be always remembered by name at the church.
The Mass readings continue today with the theme of the week: the gospel tells of the benefits of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the first reading tells of the history of the early Church acting under the effect of the Holy Spirit. The next few weeks is all about praying as hard as we can for the continued gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I've heard say that the oldest novena (nine-day prayer) of all the ones we have is that to the Holy Spirit, for Christ Himself told the Apostles to remain in prayer before he ascended, nine days before the first Pentecost Sunday:
"He had shewn them by many proofs that He was still alive, after His Passion; throughout the course of forty days He had been appearing to them, and telling them about the kingdom of God; and now He gave them orders, as He shared a meal with them, not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfilment of the Father’s promise. You have heard it, He said, from My own lips; 'John’s baptism,' I told you, 'was with water, but there is a baptism with the Holy Spirit which you are to receive, not many days from this'... Then, from the mountain which is called Olivet, they went back to Jerusalem; the distance from Jerusalem is not great, a sabbath day’s journey. Coming in, they went up into the upper room where they dwelt, Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James. All these, with one mind, gave themselves up to prayer, together with Mary the mother of Jesus, and the rest of the women and his brethren." - Acts of the Apostles, 1: 3-5, 12-14
I have omitted the Ascension narrative, but you'll find it easily in your Bibles, in the first chapter of Acts. Today is the first day (of nine) of the novena to the Holy Spirit. I shall add some of the prayers to the bottom of these posts. So, let's begin with:
NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT: DAY 1
"O Holy Spirit! Lord of light!
From Thy clear celestial height,
Thy pure and beaming radiance give!"
Almighty and eternal God, Who has vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and has given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from Heaven upon us Thy 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.
One Our Father and one Hail Mary,
Seven times the Glory be.
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 smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy light and listen to Thy voice and 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.
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