Pentecost, also called Whitsunday, celebrates the founding of the Church of Christ, when the Holy
Spirit came upon the Apostles, as recorded in The Acts of the Apostles. Pentecost is celebrated fifty
days after Easter Sunday. On Pentecost they gathered quite early in the day, a band of Christ's
disciples to worship, sing, and pray. A mighty wind came blowing, filled all the swirling air, and
tongues of fire aglowing inspired each person there. The people all around them were startled and
amazed to understand their language, as they praised Christ the Lord. The Holy Spirit descended upon
Mother Mary and the Apostels gathered in the Cennacle in the form of tongues of fire. And all
gathered were filled with the gifts and fruits of the Spirit.
O God of vision, far greater than all human scheming, we are gathered now in your presence,
refreshing, redeeming. Show us a new life in your breathtaking view, lovely beyond all our dreaming.
Pour out your Spirit on all now assembled before you. May our diversity here be a means to adore
you. What universal message, what great good news was here? That Christ, once dead, is risen to
vanquish all our fear. God pours the Holy Spirit on all who would believe, on women, men, and
children who would receive God's grace. That Spirit knows no limit, bestowing life and power. The
church, formed and reformed, responds in every hour.
Most Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, Father of the poor, Comforter of the afflicted, Light of hearts,
Sanctifier of souls; behold us prostrate in Thy presence. We adore you with profound homage: I bless
Thee a thousand times and with the Seraphim who stand before Thy throne, I also say: "Holy, holy,
holy." I firmly believe that Thou are eternal, consubstantial with the Father and the Divine Son. I hope
in Thy goodness that you will deign to save and sanctify my soul. I love You, O Divine Love, with all
my affections above all the things of this world, because You are Infinite Goodness, alone worthy of
all love. Song
O’ God, we come in humility, confessing who and what we are. We are often unresponsive for we are
afraid. When your Spirit speaks, we turn deaf ears, for we fear what you might call us to do.
When your Spirit touches our lips, we close our mouths, embarrassed to speak your Word.
When the wind of your Spirit blows, we close the windows of our hearts, afraid the breeze will disrupt
our ordered lives. When the fire of your Spirit touches us, we quench the flame, afraid of the new life
it might bring. Forgive us, O Lord.
And since in my ingratitude and blindness to Your holy inspirations, I have so often offended You by
my sins, with tears in my eyes I beg Your pardon a thousand times, and am more sorry for having
offended You, the Sovereign Good, than for any other evil. I offer You this most cold heart of mine,
and I pray You to pierce it with a ray of Your light, and with a spark of Your fire, which shall melt the
hard ice of my iniquities. You who did fill the soul of the most holy Mary with immense graces, and
did inflame the hearts of the Apostles with holy zeal, inflame, I beseech You, my heart also with Your
love. You Who are light unto the elect Evermore enlighten us. You who are fire of love Evermore
enkindle us. You who are Lord and Giver of Life, Evermore live in us. You who bestow sevenfold
grace, Evermore refill us. You are the Divine Spirit: give us courage against all evil spirits. You are
Fire: enkindle in us Your love. You are Light: enlighten my mind with the knowledge of eternal
things. You are the Dove: give me innocence of life. You are wind, forward our goings. You are
water, purify our spirits. As a cloud, so decrease our temptations. As dew, so revive our lethargy.
O God, who on this day did teach the hearts of thy faithful people by sending to them the light of thy
Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice
in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Savior. Father in heaven, fifty days have
celebrated the fullness of the mystery of your revealed love. See your people gathered in prayer, open
to receive the Spirit's flame. May it come to rest in our hearts and disperse the divisions of word and
tongue. With one voice and one song may we praise your name in joy and thanksgiving.
Let us Consecrate ourselves to the Holy Spirit
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, so 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 hears." Lord Jesus, as God's
Spirit came down and rested upon you, come and rest upon us that we may live our religious life in its
fullness.
Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Lord Jesus, as God's Spirit came down and rested upon you, May the same Spirit rest on us, Bestowing
his sevenfold gifts. Christ Jesus, before ascending into heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit
to Your apostles and disciples. Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in our lives the work of Your
grace and love.
Grant us the Spirit of Fear Of The Lord that we may be filled with a loving reverence toward You.
The Spirit of Piety that we may find peace and fulfillment in the service of God while serving others;
The Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our cross with You and, with courage, overcome the obstacles
that interfere with our salvation; The Spirit of Knowledge that we may know You and know ourselves
and grow in holiness; The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of Your truth;
The Spirit of Counsel that we may choose the surest way of doing Your will, seeking first the
Kingdom; Grant us the Spirit of Wisdom that we may aspire to the things that last forever; Teach us to
be Your faithful disciples and animate us in every way with Your Spirit.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and filled all things, Treasury
of all good and giver of life, Come and dwell within us; Cleanse us from all unrighteousness, And of
thy goodness, save our souls.
Prayer Appropriate for Pentecost
Good Jesus, fountain of love: Fill me with thy love, Absorb me into thy love, Compass me with thy
love, That I may see all things in the light of thy love, Receive all things as tokens of thy love,
Speak of all things in words breathing of thy love, Win through thy love others to thy love, Be
kindled day by day with a new glow of thy love, Until I be fitted to enter into thine everlasting love,
To adore thy love and love to adore thee, My God and my all. Even so, come Lord Jesu!
Come, O Spirit of God And make within us your dwelling place and home. May our darkness be
dispelled by your light, And our troubles calmed by your peace; May all evils be redeemed by your
love, All pain transformed through the suffering of Christ, And all dying glorified by his risen life.
Come, Creator Spirit Come, O Creator Spirit blest! And in our souls take up Thy rest; Come with Thy
grace and heavenly aid, to fill the hearts which Thou hast made. Great Paraclete! To Thee we cry,
Kindle our senses from above, And make our hearts overflow with love. O highest gift of God most
high! The promise of the Father bless us with your sevenfold gifts.
