NOVENA PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Come, SPIRIT OF WISDOM! Teach my heart to know how to appreciate and love celestial goods and prefer them to all the goods of the earth.

(Say the “Glory be” after each invocation.)

Come, SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING! Enlighten my mind to know and embrace all the mysteries and be worthy to obtain full knowledge of You, the Father and the Son.

Come, SPIRIT OF GOOD COUNSEL! Help me in all the matters of this unstable life, make me docile to Your inspiration and lead me always on the right road of the divine commandments.

Come, SPIRIT OF FORTITUDE! Fortify my heart in all pertubation and adversity and give my soul the vigour necessary to resist all its enemies.

Come, SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE! Make me see the vanity of all the worn out goods of this world so that I do not use them except for Your greater glory and the salvation of my soul.

Come, SPIRIT OF PIETY! Come live in my heart and lead it to the true piety and holy love of God.

Come, SPIRIT OF THE FEAR OF GOD! Permeate my flesh with Your holy fear in such a way that I always feel the presence of God and avoid everything that might displease the eyes of His Divine Majesty.

Divine Holy Spirit, I offer You all the prayers of the most holy Virgin and the Apostles together in the Cenacle, and I unite my prayers to theirs, begging You to hurry to renew the face of the earth.

V. Send down Your Spirit and things will be created.
R. And You will renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray:
O God, You taught the hearts of the faithful with the light of the Holy Spirit. Grant us, through the same Spirit, knowledge and love of justice, and may we always enjoy His consolation. Amen.

 

ASCENSION PRAYER

Almighty God, as we believe that your Son, our Redeemer, ascended this day into heaven, grant that we too may live in spirit in that heavenly dwelling. Through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

MAY, THE MONTH OF MARY

“MARY, PLEASE CULTIVATE THE FLOWER OF MY HEART” by Don Dolindo Ruololo

The month of Mary is the month of A PROFOUND REFORM OF THE HEART: we must leave ourselves and adorn ourselves with every virtue and every spiritual good.

In the springtime plants are reborn to a new life; they are adorned with flowers full of perfume and attractive. My soul also needs to reflower in order to be full of virtue and peace!

In your Heart, O Mary, I will reflower as a lily because you are purity. In your love my coldness will be transformed into warmth because you are full of the flames of divine charity. In your hands I will find refuge because you are the Mother of mercy!

O Mary, O Mary, cast the glance of your goodness upon me! Even I am a little flower of heaven’s field… Cultivate me and speak to me, O Mary, because by your word I will draw life and love.

MARY: O my daughter [O my son], your mother is always ready to cultivate you provided that you treat me as a mother and not as a stranger. How many times you’ve been afraid of me, even while knowing that I am all loving! How many times have you virtually fled from me, so slack has your devotion been. Come to my heart and let it be a school of virtue for you since God himself has made me great for your good. Follow me faithfully, even if your soul feels arid and without any fervour. Confide your pains to me. Turn toward me because in this month I have so many treasures of grace to dispense and I give them to those who turn to my motherly heart with trust.

THE SOUL: O my good Mama, don’t you see what an ugly flower I am? I’m a withered flower, almost without leaves and without life… Help me! I entrust my soul to you that you might cultivate it and heal it… The bells of your temple are ringing for the feast, Mary, yet I groan with sluggishness. Your throne is rich with flowers, and my heart, which ought to be your throne, is so poor and devoid of everything!

O my Mother, while the plaintive harmony of these bells dissipates in the air, the groan of my poor heart reaches your Heart and moves it to have pity on me! I need grace because I am so miserable:

Maria Mater gratiae, Mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protege et hora mortis suscipe. (Mary, mother of grace, mother of mercy, protect us from the evil one and receive us at the hour of death).

ASPIRATION: O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

LITTLE WORK: Accept with patience and calm the rudeness which comes your way.

5 MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY

 

O ETERNAL GODHEAD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY

O eternal Godhead,
how well mercy suits you!
How well it suits you
that your servants should arouse your mercy
against the judgement the world deserves
because of its sins!

Your mercy created us,
and the same mercy redeemed us from eternal death.
Your mercy rules over us
and holds back your justice,
keeping the earth from opening up to swallow us,
keeping the animals from devouring us.
In fact, all things serve us
and the earth gives us its fruits.
All this your mercy does.

Your mercy preserves us
and prolongs our life,
giving us time to return and be reconciled with you.
O compassionate merciful Father,
who keeps the angels from taking revenge
on this humanity which is your enemy?
Your mercy.
In mercy you grant us consolation to coax us to love,
for the human heart is attracted by love.
The same mercy gives and permits sufferings and hardships
so that we may learn to know ourselves
and acquire the little virtue of true humility –
and even to give yourself a reason
to reward those who fight bravely,
suffering with true patience.

In mercy you preserved the scars in your Son’s body
so that he might with these scars
beg for mercy for us before your majesty.

In mercy you have seen fit today to show me,
poor as I am,
how we can in no way pass judgement
on other people’s intentions.
Indeed, by sending people along an endless variety of paths,
you give me an example for myself,
and for this I thank you.

St Catherine of Siena

 

GOD’S EVERLASTING GRANARY

The Word’s good seed to all he brings,
from which abundant harvest springs,
and fruits of holy works supply
God’s everlasting granary.

The lamp his burning faith displays
has filled the world with glorious rays,
that evil may be overthrown,
and in our hearts reign Christ alone.

From “Heaven’s Height” by St Peter Damian

 

PRAYER OF PRAISE AND PETITION

We praise You, invisible Father, giver of immortality, and source of life and light. You love all human beings, especially the poor. You seek reconciliation with all of them and You draw them to Yourself by sending Your beloved Son to visit them.

Make us really alive by giving us the light to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent. Grant us the Holy Spirit and enable us to speak volumes about Your ineffable mysteries. Amen.

St Serapion

 

PRAYER TO SAINT GEORGE FOR COURAGE

Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, St George, inflamed with a burning love of Christ, you fought against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, nor the sword nor death could part you from the love of Christ.

I implore you for the sake of this love to help me by your intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry my cross, and let neither distress nor difficulty separate me from the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

PRAYER TO JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD FOR VOCATIONS

Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd.
You know each of us
and you call us by name
to serve in faith.
Help us respond generously to Your voice.
Give courage and guidance
to those You call to the priesthood
and the diaconate,
to religious life and lay ministry,
so they may respond wholeheartedly
and serve devotedly.
We ask this
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

 

THE CHAPLET OF THE HOLY WOUNDS

On the crucifix and the first three beads (of ordinary Rosary beads) we say:

O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful to us and to the whole world. Amen.

Strong God, holy God, immortal God, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen.

Grace and mercy, O my Jesus, during present dangers; cover us with Your Precious Blood. Amen.

Eternal Father, grant us mercy through the Blood of Jesus Christ, Your only Son; grant us mercy, we beseech You. Amen, Amen, Amen.

On the large beads we say:

V. Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. To heal the wounds of our souls.

On the small beads we say:

V. My Jesus, pardon and mercy.
R. Through the merits of Your Holy Wounds.

 

PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF OUR COUNTRY

O Divine Heart of Jesus, noblest and best of all human hearts, remember, we beseech thee, how dearly thou didst love thine own native land, and how earnestly thou didst strive for the conversion of thine own people. By the example of thine own fervent desires and earnest toil, grant us to pray and labour much for the conversion to thy Holy Faith of our own dearly beloved country. Not for our own glory, O Lord, nor for any personal interest of ours do we pray, but that thy Heavenly Father may be honoured and that thy Holy Faith may be loved by all our countrymen. Amen.

From a prayer book