With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:
Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!
Light immortal, light divine,
Visit thou these hearts of thine,
And our inmost being fill.
Meditation
Fortitude is a gift of the Holy Spirit strengthening the soul against all natural fear and supporting it to the end in the performance of duty. Daily the soul, in the state of grace must go forth to fight the good fight of Christ; to do its duty, which, because it is duty, will always be difficult. The virtue of fortitude leads us into the battle, but we need special encouragement from the Spirit of God, to enable us to persevere in good, in spite of unforeseen difficulties, hardships, and the grind of routine. That encouragement the Holy Ghost imparts to us through the gift of Fortitude. Moreover, whilst we are not called upon to face the roaring lion in the Roman arena like the first Christians, we are bound every day of our lives to fight the roaring lion within us, to struggle against our besetting temptation. God has armed us with the gift of Fortitude for that purpose. Let us therefore pray for that gift to enable us to fight perseveringly the good fight of Jesus Christ until it please our divine Leader to call us from the battlefield of life to enjoy the eternal reward of heaven.
Fortitude is a gift of the Holy Spirit strengthening the soul against all natural fear and supporting it to the end in the performance of duty. Daily the soul, in the state of grace must go forth to fight the good fight of Christ; to do its duty, which, because it is duty, will always be difficult. The virtue of fortitude leads us into the battle, but we need special encouragement from the Spirit of God, to enable us to persevere in good, in spite of unforeseen difficulties, hardships, and the grind of routine. That encouragement the Holy Ghost imparts to us through the gift of Fortitude. Moreover, whilst we are not called upon to face the roaring lion in the Roman arena like the first Christians, we are bound every day of our lives to fight the roaring lion within us, to struggle against our besetting temptation. God has armed us with the gift of Fortitude for that purpose. Let us therefore pray for that gift to enable us to fight perseveringly the good fight of Jesus Christ until it please our divine Leader to call us from the battlefield of life to enjoy the eternal reward of heaven.
Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen.
Come, O blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen.
Glory Be, seven times.
Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!
Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)
The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier. You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,in the link enclosed in the title to this post.
