EIGHTH DAY (Friday, 7th Week of Easter)
Bend the stubborn
heart and will, melt the frozen warm the chill. Guide the steps that go astray!
Holy Spirit soul of my soul, bend the
hearts of all who seek to destroy our faith, may they be moved by your mercy
and truth to change their ways and become faithful followers of your holy Will.
The Gift of Wisdom
Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces
all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is
written "all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches
through her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith,
fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the
highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine,
in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of
Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour:
"Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden
light.
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the
mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty.
Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions
of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for ever. Amen.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
To be recited daily during the Novena
On my knees I before the great multitude of
heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God.
I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice,
and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I
live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace
and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You.
Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light,
and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You
and give myself to You and ask You, by Your 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 You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your
grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of
the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord
for Your servant heareth." Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT
To be recited daily during the Novena
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into
heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of
Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He
may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the
Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and
aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to
enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit on Counsel
that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the
Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may
overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of
Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science
of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and
amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence
towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with
the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit.
Amen.
