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Novena to theHOLY SPIRITThe novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts is the oldest of all novenas. It was first made at thedirection of Jesus himself, when he sent his apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the HolySpirit on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to theThird Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorelyneeded by every Christian. Holy Spirit Interactive has adapted it for these times.Act of ConsecrationOn my knees, I bow before you, HolySpirit. I adore the brightness of yourpurity, the unerring keenness of yourjustice, and the might of your love. Youare the strength and light of my soul. Inyou I live and move and am. I desirenever to grieve you by unfaithfulness tograce and I pray with all my heart to bekept from the smallest sin against you.Mercifully guard my every thought. Grantthat I may always watch for your light,listen to your voice, and follow yourgracious inspirations. I cling to you andgive myself to you and ask you, by yourcompassion, to watch over me in myweakness. I now stand at the foot of thecross on which Jesus died, and coveringmyself with the precious blood of Christand surrounding myself with his holylight, I implore you sweet Spirit of theLiving God, to keep me in your gracethat I may never sin against you. Spiritof the Father and the Son, please giveme the grace to say to you always andeverywhere, “Speak Lord, your servantis listening.” Amen.Prayer for the Seven GiftsLord Jesus Christ, before you ascendedinto heaven you promised to send yourHoly Spirit to finish your work in the soulsof your apostles and disciples. It is apromise you fulfilled on the day ofPentecost. Please grant me your HolySpirit too, so that he may perfect in mysoul the work of your grace and yourlove. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom thatI may despise the perishable things ofthis world and aspire only after the thingsthat are eternal. Grant me the Spirit ofUnderstanding to enlighten my mind withthe light of your divine truth. Grant methe Spirit of Counsel that I may alwayschoose the surest way of pleasing Godand gaining heaven. Grant me the Spiritof Fortitude that I may bear my crosswith you and overcome with courage allthe obstacles that oppose my salvation.Grant me the Spirit of Knowledge that Imay know God and know myself andgrow perfect in your love. Grant me theSpirit of Piety that I may find the serviceof God sweet and amiable. Grant me theSpirit of Fear that I may be filled with aloving reverence towards God and maydread in any way to displease him. Markme, dear Lord with the sign of your truedisciples, and animate me in all thingswith Your Spirit. Amen.

novena to theHOLY SPIRITDay 1May 26, 2006: Friday,Sixth Week of EasterHoly Spirit! Lord of Light!From Your clear celestial height,Your pure beaming radiance give!Day 2May 27, 2006: Saturday,Sixth Week of EasterCome, Father of the poor.Come, treasures which endure;Come, Light of all that live!Day 3May 28, 2006: Sunday,Seventh Week of EasterThou, of all consolers best,Visiting the troubled breast,Dost refreshing peace bestow.The Holy SpiritOnly one thing is important — eternalsalvation. Only one thing, therefore, isto be feared — sin. Sin is the result ofignorance, weakness, and indifferenceThe Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, ofStrength, and of Love. With Hissevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind,strengthens the will, and inflames theheart with love of God. To ensure oursalvation we ought to invoke theDivine Spirit daily, for “the Spirit helpsus in our weakness. We do not knowwhat we ought to pray for, but theSpirit himself intercedes for us.”PrayerAlmighty and eternal God, who haspromised to regenerate us bywater and the Holy Spirit, and hasforgiven us for all our sins, pleasepour out upon us the Spirit ofWisdom and Understanding, theSpirit of Counsel and fortitude, theSpirit of Knowledge and Piety, andfill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear.Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)The Gift of FearThe gift of Fear fills us with a sovereignrespect for God, and makes us dreadnothing so much as to offend Him bysin. It is a fear that arises, not fromthe thought of hell, but fromsentiments of reverence and filialsubmission to our heavenly Father. It isthe fear that is the beginning ofwisdom, detaching us from worldlypleasures that could in any wayseparate us from God. “They that fearthe Lord will prepare their hearts, andin His sight will sanctify their souls.”PrayerCome, O Blessed Spirit of HolyFear, penetrate my inmost heart,that I may set you, my Lord andGod, before my face forever. Helpme to shun all things that canoffend you, and make me worthy toappear before the pure eyes ofyour Divine Majesty in heaven,where you live and reign in theunity of the ever Blessed Trinity.Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)The Gift of PietyThe gift of Piety begets in our hearts afilial affection for God as our mostloving Father. For His sake, it inspiresus to love and respect persons andthings consecrated to Him, as well asthose who are vested with Hisauthority, His Blessed Mother and theSaints, the Church and its visible Head,our parents and superiors, our countryand its rulers. He who is filled with thegift of Piety finds the practice of hisreligion, not a burdensome duty, but adelightful service. Where there is love,there is no labor.PrayerCome, O Blessed Spirit of Piety,possess my heart. Enkindle in itsuch a love for God, that I may findsatisfaction only in His service, andlovingly submit to all legitimateauthority for His sake. Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)Page 2

novena to theHOLY SPIRITDay 4May 29, 2006: Monday,Seventh Week of EasterThou in toil art comfort sweet,Pleasant coolness in the heat,solace in the midst of woe.Day 5May 30, 2006: Tuesday,Seventh Week of EasterLight immortal! Light Divine!Visit Thou these hearts of Thine,And our inmost being fill!Day 6May 31, 2006: Wednesday,Seventh Week of EasterIf Thou take Thy grace away,Nothing pure in man will stay,All his good is turn’d to ill.The Gift of FortitudeBy the gift of Fortitude the soul isstrengthened against natural fear, andsupported to the end in theperformance of duty. Fortitude impartsto the will an impulse and energywhich move it to undertake the mostarduous tasks without hesitancy; toface dangers, to trample under foothuman respect, and to endure the slowmartyrdom of even lifelong tribulationwithout complaint. “He who stands firmto the end will be saved.”PrayerCome, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude,uphold my soul in time of troubleand adversity. Sustain my effortsafter holiness. Strengthen myweakness. Give me courageagainst all the assaults of myenemies, that I may never beovercome and separated from you,my God and greatest good. Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)The Gift of KnowledgeThe gift of Knowledge enables the soulto evaluate created things at their trueworth—in their relation to God.Knowledge unmasks the pretense ofcreatures, reveals their emptiness, andpoints out their only true purpose asinstruments in the service of God. Itshows us the loving care of God evenin adversity, and directs us to glorifyHim in every circumstance of life.Guided by its light, we put first thingsfirst, and prize the friendship of Godbeyond all else. “Knowledge is afountain of life to him that possessesit.”PrayerCome, O Blessed Spirit ofKnowledge, and grant that I mayperceive the will of the Father.Show me the nothingness ofearthly things, that I may realizetheir vanity and use them only foryour glory and my own salvation,always looking beyond them to youand your eternal rewards. Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)The Gift of UnderstandingUnderstanding, as a gift of the HolySpirit, helps us to grasp the meaningof the truths of our holy religion. Byfaith we know them, but byunderstanding we learn to appreciateand relish them. It enables us topenetrate the inner meaning ofrevealed truths and through them tobe quickened to newness of life. Ourfaith ceases to be sterile and inactive,but inspires a mode of life that bearseloquent testimony to the faith that isin us; we begin to “walk worthy of Godin all things pleasing, and increasing inthe knowledge of God.”PrayerCome, O Spirit of Understanding,and enlighten our minds, that wemay know and believe all themysteries of salvation; and, at theend, may be deemed worth ofseeing the eternal light in yourlight, and in the light of glory tohave a clear vision of you and theFather and the Son. Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)Page 3

novena to theHOLY SPIRITDay 7June 01, 2006: Thursday,Seventh Week of EasterHeal our wounds, our strength renews;On our dryness pour Thy dew,Wash the stains of guilt away.The Gift of CounselThe gift of Counsel endows the soulwith supernatural prudence, enabling itto promptly and rightly judge whatmust done, especially in difficultcircumstances. Counsel applies theprinciples furnished by Knowledge andUnderstanding to the innumerableconcrete cases that confront us in thecourse of our daily duty as parents,teachers, public servants, and Christiancitizens. Counsel is supernaturalcommon sense, a priceless treasure inthe quest of salvation. “Above all thesethings, pray to the Most High, that Hemay direct thy way in truth.”PrayerCome, O Spirit of Counsel, help andguide me in all my ways, that I mayalways do your holy will. Inclinemy heart to that which is good;turn it away from all that is evil,and direct me by the straight pathof your commandments to thatgoal of eternal life for which I long.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)Day 8June 02, 2006: Friday,Seventh Week of EasterBend the stubborn heart and will,Melt the frozen warm the chill.Guide the steps that go astray!The Gift of WisdomEmbodying all the other gifts, ascharity embraces all the other virtues,Wisdom is the most perfect of thegifts. Of wisdom it is written “all goodthings came to me with her, andinnumerable riches through herhands.” It is the gift of Wisdom thatstrengthens our faith, fortifies hope,perfects charity, and promotes thepractice of virtue in the highestdegree. Wisdom enlightens the mind todiscern and relish things divine, in theappreciation of which earthly joys losetheir savor, whilst the Cross of Christyields a divine sweetness according tothe words of the Saviour: “Take myyoke upon you and learn from me, formy yoke is easy and my burden islight.PrayerCome, O Spirit of Wisdom, andreveal to my soul the mysteries ofheavenly things, their exceedinggreatness, power and beauty.Teach me to love them above andbeyond all the passing joys andsatisfactions of earth. Help me toattain them and possess them forever. Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)Day 9June 03, 2006: Saturday,Vigil of PentecostThou, on those who evermoreThee confess and Thee Adore,In Thy sevenfold gift, Descend;Give Them Comfort when they die;Give them Life with Thee on high;Give them joys which never end.Amen.The Fruits of the Holy SpiritThe gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect thesupernatural virtues by enabling us topractice them with greater docility todivine inspiration. As we grow in theknowledge and love of God under thedirection of the Holy Spirit, our servicebecomes more sincere and generous,the practice of virtue more perfect.Such acts of virtue leave the heartfilled with joy and consolation and areknown as Fruits of the Holy Spirit.These Fruits, in turn, render thepractice of virtue more attractive andbecome a powerful incentive for stillgreater efforts in the service of God, toserve whom is to reign.PrayerCome, O Divine Spirit, fill my heartwith your heavenly fruits: love, joy,peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self control, that I may neverweary in the service of God, but bycontinued faithful submission toyour inspiration may be worthy ofbeing united eternally with you inthe love of the Father and the Son.Amen.SayOur Father and Hail Mary (once)Glory be to the Father (7 times)Act of Consecration (once)Prayer for the Seven Gifts (once)Page 4