Novena to the Holy Spirit

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart.

I abandon myself without reserve to Your divine operations, and I wish to be always docile to Your holy inspirations. O Holy Spirit, deign to form me with Mary and in Mary, according to the image of Your beloved Son. Glory to the Father Creator, glory to the Son Redeemer, glory to the Holy Spirit Sanctifier. Amen.

Meditation

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 become the perfect Christian God wants us to be, we must study these gifts and invoke them fervently.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

Almighty and eternal God, who have deigned to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and have given us forgiveness of all sins, 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.

Closing Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O God, who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things and evermore to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on Fear of the Lord

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 filial fear that proceeds from love, not a servile fear that arises from the dread of punishment.

This gift is the beginning of wisdom, for it sets us apart from sin and disposes us to receive the other gifts. It makes us aware of God's majesty and of our own littleness.

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.

Aspiration

Come, Holy Spirit! Fill me with the Holy Fear of the Lord.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on 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 invested with His authority: His saints, the Church, sacred ministers, our parents and superiors.

He who is filled with Piety finds the practice of religion not a burden but a delight. Prayer becomes joy, service becomes gladness.

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 submit lovingly to all those placed over me by His authority. Amen.

Aspiration

Come, Holy Spirit! Fill me with the gift of Piety.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on 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 soul impulse and energy, not only to bear sufferings and difficulties faithfully, but also to pursue the most arduous virtues with unflinching zeal.

This gift is necessary for carrying the cross with Christ, for enduring persecution, for overcoming temptations.

Prayer

Come, O blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity. Help me to bear with patience all the trials of this life, that I may fulfill my Christian vocation with constant courage and perseverance to the end. Amen.

Aspiration

Come, Holy Spirit! Strengthen me with Your grace.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on Knowledge

The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth—in their relation to God. It discovers to us the emptiness of creatures and points out their true purpose as stepping stones to God.

By this gift we recognize that all good comes from God and that without Him we can do nothing. It helps us discern between the temporal and the eternal.

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 Your glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to You and Your eternal reward. Amen.

Aspiration

Come, Holy Spirit! Grant me the gift of Knowledge.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on Understanding

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to quicken our faith life. Our faith ceases to be barren and inactive, but becomes the directive principle of our life.

With this gift we delve deeper into the mysteries of faith: the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Eucharist. What once seemed obscure becomes illumined.

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 Your Light. That we may in the light of glory have a clear vision of You and the Father and the Son. Amen.

Aspiration

Come, Holy Spirit! Enlighten my mind with the gift of Understanding.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on Counsel

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Understanding and Knowledge to the innumerable concrete situations that arise in the course of our daily life.

With this gift we make wise decisions, discern God's will, and avoid the deceits of the enemy.

Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Your 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 Your commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen.

Aspiration

Come, Holy Spirit! Guide me with the gift of Counsel.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on Wisdom

Crowning all the other gifts, as it were the perfection of them all, Wisdom is the most perfect of the seven gifts. Of it is written: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

Wisdom strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, and perfects charity. It teaches us to relish things divine, to prefer heaven to earth, God to creatures.

Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to me the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power, and beauty. Teach me to love them above all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them forever. Amen.

Aspiration

Come, Holy Spirit! Grant me the gift of Wisdom.

Act of Consecration

Receive, O Holy Spirit, the complete consecration of all my being, which I make to You this day, that You may deign to be henceforth, in each moment of my life, in each of my actions, my Director, my Light, my Guide, my Strength, and all the love of my Heart. Amen.

Meditation on the Fruits

The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by accommodating us to the guidance of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are the perceivable effects of this divine indwelling in the soul.

St. Paul enumerates the fruits: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22-23). These fruits make the practice of virtue attractive and possible.

Prayer

Come, O Divine Spirit, and fill my heart with Your heavenly fruits: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, that never wearying in Your service, I may by a holy death pass to life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Final Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love!

V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O God, who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things and evermore to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Holy Spirit! Come to us! Dwell in us! Act in us! Amen.