College Chaplain
Holy Spirit, Our Advocate
My dear Friends, We have now approached the end of Jesus' sojourn here on earth. The 18 th of May is the ascension Thursday. The day Jesus ascended into heaven in the presence of his apostles, after giving them the power to forgive sins, commanding them to go and teach all nations, baptising them, in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit and instructing them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
Holy Spirit, also called Paraclete or Holy Ghost, is the third person of the Trinity. The Council of Constantinople in CE 381 defined the Holy Spirit as a distinct divine person equal in substance to the Father and the Son and not subordinate to them. As the new apostles commissioned and sent by God, we, too, await thecoming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Church invites us to pray, to join in vigilant anticipation of the arrival of the Holy Spirit. The novena, which the Church invites us to join, commemorates the nine days between the Ascension of Our Lord and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost Sunday. During this time, Our Lady and the twelve Apostles prayed in the upper room for the coming of the Paraclete.
Novena Prayer to the Holy Spirit
O Holy Spirit, O my God, I adore Thee, and acknowledge, here in Thy divine presence, that I am nothing and can do nothing without Thee. Come, great Paraclete, Thou Father of the poor, Thou comforter the best, fulfil the promise of our blessed Saviour, Who would not leave us orphans, and come into the mind and the heart of Thy poor, unworthy creature, as Thou didst descend on the sacred day of Pentecost on the holy Mother of Jesus and His firstdisciples. Grant that I may participate in those gifts that Thou didst communicate to them wonderfully and with so much mercy and generosity. Take from my heart whatever is not pleasing to Thee and make of it a worthy dwelling-place for Thyself. Illumine mymind, that I may see and understand the things that are for myeternal good. Inflame my heart with the pure love of Thee, that Imay be cleansed from the dross of all inordinate attachments, andthat my whole life may be hidden with Jesus in God. Strengthen mywill, that I may be made conformable to Thy divine will and be
guided by Thy holy inspirations. Aid me by Thy grace to practicethe divine lessons of humility, poverty, obedience, and contempt ofthe world, which Jesus taught us in His mortal life.Oh, rend the heavens, and come down, consoling Spirit! thatinspired and encouraged by Thee, I may faithfully comply with theduties of my state, carry my daily cross most patiently, andendeavour to accomplish the divine will with the utmost perfection.Spirit of love! Spirit of purity! Spirit of peace! Sanctify my soulmore and more and give me that heavenly peace which the worldcannot give. Bless our Holy Father the Pope, bless the Church,bless our bishops, our priests, all Religious Orders, and all thefaithful, that they may be filled with the Spirit of Christ and labourearnestly for the spread of His kingdom.O Holy Spirit, Thou Giver of every perfect gift, grant me, I beseechThee, the intentions of this novena. May Thy will be done in me andthrough me. Mayest Thou be praised and glorified forever!Amen.I present to you as well, as a reminder, the twelve fruits of the HolySpirit.1.2. Charity3. Joy4. Peace5. Patience6. Benignity7. Goodness8. Generosity9. Mildness10. Faith11. Modesty12.Continency13. Chastity.Then also, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit1.
2. Wisdom3. Understanding4. Counsel5. Fortitude6. Knowledge7. Piety8. Fear of the Lord