[In the year 2021, this novena is prayed on the nine days from May 14-22,
the days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost]
Opening Prayer
O God, whose Son, at his Ascension to the heavens,
was pleased to promise the Holy Spirit to the Apostles,
grant, we pray,
that, just as they received manifold gifts of heavenly teaching,
so on us, too, you may bestow spiritual gifts.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Day 1: The Gift of Wisdom
Like salt that seasons food, the gift of wisdom helps us to savor the ways of God. This gift of the Holy Spirit, who searches the depths of God, assists us and accompanies us along the journey of life. The Spirit of God is the interior Guide who gives wisdom to the hearts of the simple and opens them to accept the word of Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture: Wisdom 7:7-16
I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her. I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her radiance never ceases. All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth. I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them; but I did not know that she was their mother. I learned without guile and I impart without grudging; I do not hide her wealth, for it is an unfailing treasure for men; those who get it obtain friendship with God, commended for the gifts that come from instruction. May God grant that I speak with judgment and have thought worthy of what I have received, for he is the guide even of wisdom and the corrector of the wise. For both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts.
Prayer
O God, in the folly of the cross
you manifest the distance between the mind of Christ
and the wisdom of this world.
Fill us with the wisdom of the Gospel,
so that, animated by the hope of the Spirit,
we may become the light and salt of the earth.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 2: The Gift of Understanding
Understanding is the gift of the Holy Spirit that reveals to our minds the will of God. Who can know the mind of God unless they be guided by the Spirit of Christ? Let us ask the Lord to light the way of the human race so that through the Spirit we may possess spiritual understanding to perceive the signs of God’s presence in history.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture 1 John 2:20-27
You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life. I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Prayer
O God, you who are revealed in Christ,
instill in us the gift of understanding,
that penetrating the depths of your word,
we may experience its sweetness and strength.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.
Day 3: The Gift of Counsel
The gift of counsel opens to us the inexhaustible wellspring of the Word of God. This gift also helps us search our conscience to discern where we are not living according to this Word. Let us ask the Lord, by means of prayer, that his Spirit, the Counselor, may never be lacking to believers in Christ, so that they may set out on paths of justice and peace.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture 1 Corinthians 2:11-16
What human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny. “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Prayer
Almighty and merciful Father,
make us docile to the voice of the Holy Spirit,
and give us the grace of your counsel in troubled times,
the light of your guidance in suffering,
the joy of your comfort in sorrow,
and your friendship in solitude.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.
Day 4: The Gift of Fortitude
Fortitude is the divine gift that makes us persevere in the faith with patience, strengthens us to resist evil, and gives us the courage to witness to Christ in word and deed. Let us pray for this gift with confidence in Christ whose power is manifested in our weakness and who anoints us with a Spirit of strength and courage.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture 1 Timothy 1:7-14
God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.
Prayer
O God, who in the cross of your Son
have revealed the unconquerable power of your love,
confirm our hearts in fortitude,
that, animated by the Holy Spirit,
we may courageously fight the assaults of evil.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.
Day 5: The Gift of Knowledge
With this gift, the Holy Spirit deepens our knowledge of the mysteries of God’s reign. This is not so much intellectual knowledge as an experience of God in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit teaches the words of Jesus, writes them in the hearts of the faithful, brings them to mind in those who have strayed and teaches how to live in a Christian way in the world.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture Ephesians 3:16-19
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, the Father may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Prayer
Saving God,
keep before us the knowledge and love you have revealed in your Son.
Help us to be like him in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. R/. Amen.
Day 6: The Gift of Piety
The gift of piety fills us with an attitude of reverence toward God and our neighbor, guiding our actions and intentions toward them according to the mind of Christ. One manifestation of piety is our fulfilling the vows made to God in baptism when we rejected sin. These vows were renewed in confirmation and form the basis of other commitments in the church, including the promises made in ordination and religious profession to follow the Lord in gospel witness.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture 2 Peter 1:1-8
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer
God of all holiness,
help us to seek the values
that will bring us lasting joy in this changing world.
In our desire for what you promise
make us one in mind and heart
in the Spirit of piety.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.
Day 7: The Gift of Fear of the Lord
The “fear of the Lord” is a biblical expression meaning fidelity to the Covenant which God made with the people of Israel. By living the Law, or Torah, the people of God lived in constant awareness of God’s transcendent holiness. Far from servile fear, this gift of the Holy Spirit fills with awe those who worship the greatness of God. To live in awe of God’s goodness is a special blessing to those who are themselves temples of the Holy Spirit where God’s majesty dwells.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture 1 John 4:13-18
By this we know that we abide in God and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.
Prayer
God of glory and majesty,
your awe-inspiring love
makes us cry out in praise and adoration.
May the Spirit of holy fear
keep us loyal to the Covenant
as we acknowledge your greatness everywhere.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.
Day 8: The Fruits of the Spirit
The Catechism defines the fruits of the Spirit as “perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory” (CCC 1832). Paul, who provided the traditional list, contrasts them to the “works of the flesh.” Jesus tells us that like a tree and its fruit, the quality of a person will be known by their lives and works.
Invocation
Heavenly Sovereign, Consoler Spirit, Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things --
treasure of all good and source of all life, come dwell in us, cleanse and save us, you who are All-Good. R/. Come, Holy Spirit!
Scripture Galatians 5:16-25
Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Prayer
God of our salvation,
by raising up your Son in glory
and by sending forth the light of your Spirit
you opened for us the gates of eternal life.
Grant that we who share in these great gifts
may grow in faith and commit ourselves more firmly to your service.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)
Day 9: The Gifts of the Spirit in Service to the Community
The traditional enumeration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are enriched by various charisms meant to strengthen us for a variety of ministries placed at the service of the community. Pentecost invites us to discern the ways in which we have received these gifts and how we may better employ them for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ.
Invocation
Uncreated Spirit,
primordial force of the universe,
sanctifying power of the church,
revive in us the gifts of Baptism and Confirmation. R/. Veni, Sancte Spiritus.
Spirit of life, breath of love,
strength flowing forth from the cross,
reinvigorate in the hearts of your faithful
the commitment to live as a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people set apart by God. R/. Veni, Sancte Spiritus.
Spirit of the Father and of the Son, descended on the Virgin, and given to the apostles,
animate and make the church fruitful with your seven holy gifts. R/. Veni, Sancte Spiritus.
Scripture 1 Corinthians 12: 4-13
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized byone Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Prayer
Send down, O God,
upon your people the flame of your Holy Spirit,
and fill with the abundance of your sevenfold gift
the Church you brought forth from your Son’s pierced side.
May your life-giving Spirit lend fire to our words
and strength to our witness.
Send us forth to the nations of the world
to proclaim with boldness your wondrous work
of raising Christ to your right hand.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)