Pentecost Novena with St. John of the Cross (May 14-23; Day 1)
May 14, 2026
Day 1
Introduction
This year's novena focuses on fire as an image of the Holy Spirit in anticipation of Pentecost's tongues of fire that descended on the nascent Church. I have chosen St. John of the Cross in his classic work The Living Flame of Love to guide us throughout these nine days. The Discalced Carmelites are celebrating a Jubilee Year to mark the 300th anniversary of his canonization (1726) and the 100th anniversary of his proclamation as a Doctor of the Church (1926). In this poem and commentary John challenges us to climb the heights of the spiritual journey led by the Holy Spirit. While his teaching may seem daunting and rarefied at times, he nevertheless places before us the summit of the Christian life for those who would allow the Spirit free reign in our hearts. No matter where we are along this path, it is always a worthy intention to seek the grace we need to travel further and there is no better time than these nine days of prayer before the great feast of Pentecost.
Scripture (Ex 3: 1-5)
Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb. 2 Yahweh’s[a] angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When Yahweh saw that he came over to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.” 5 He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”
Meditation
Stanza 1
O living flame of love
that tenderly wounds my soul
in its deepest center! Since
now you are not oppressive,
now consummate! if it be your will:
tear through the veil of this sweet encounter!
This flame of love is the Spirit of its Bridegroom, who is the Holy Spirit. The soul feels him within itself not only as a fire that has consumed and transformed it but as a fire that burns and flares within it, as I mentioned. And that flame, every time it flares up, bathes the soul in glory and refreshes it with the quality of divine life.
Such is the activity of the Holy Spirit in the soul transformed in love:
The soul's center is God. When it has reached God with all the capacity of its being and the strength of its operation and inclination, it will have attained its final and deepest center in God, it will know, love, and enjoy God with all its might. When it has not reached this point (as happens in this mortal life, in which the soul cannot reach God with all its strength, even though in its center - which is God through grace and his self-communication to it), it still has movement and strength for advancing further and is not satisfied. Although it is in its center, it is not yet in its deepest center, for it can go deeper in God.
Hence, for the soul to be in its center - which is God, as we have said - it is sufficient for it to possess one degree of love, for by one degree alone it is united with him through grace. Should it have two degrees, it becomes united and concentrated in God in another, deeper center. Should it reach three, it centers itself in a third. But once it has attained the final degree, God's love has arrived at wounding the soul in its ultimate and deepest center, which is to illuminate and transform it in its whole being, power, and strength, and according to its capacity, until it appears to be God.
Musical Selection (John Michael Talbot)
Oh, Living Flame of Love
Tenderly wound my soul
To its deepest inner heart
Without oppression!
Come consummate our love
Tear through the veil of our union
If it be your will, come and rend
The veil of the temple!
Oh, lamps of fire
In deep caverns of feeling
Once obscured and blind
Are now leading
In the warmth and the passion
Of your love (x2)
Yet gently Your hand does wound
As You rend through the veil of my temple
Come and take this life that I give
So that I might come to live in this our dying
Oh, Living Flame of Love
Tenderly wound my soul
To its deepest inner heart
Without oppression!
Collect
Come, Holy Spirit!
Rain upon our dry and dusty lives.
Wash away our sin
and heal our wounded spirits.
Kindle within us the fire of your love
to burn away our apathy.
With your warmth bend our rigidity,
and guide our wandering feet. Amen. (Book of Common Worship)