Question of the Week: Do you pray before you make important decisions?
Dear Parishioners of OLM & OLS:
Our annual 90-Day Pilgrimage from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday to the Solemnity of Pentecost is almost complete – only one week remaining. As our linked Parishes continue to prepare for a period of transition, I invite you to join together in asking the graces of the Holy Spirit upon our communities as we prepare to welcome the Holy Spirit anew next Sunday.
Seven Days of Prayer in Preparation for the Solemnity of Pentecost.
Heavenly Father, through your Son Jesus fill us completely with your Holy Spirit that we may overflow with your abundant love. Seal us with this same Spirit and anoint us so that, guided with His power, we may aspire today to that which you have purposed for us. We pray that this day we will walk with you as your children in making decisions after your Heart. We pray for uprightness in our relationships with you and others. Father grant our parish communities the grace to work with you in bringing into right order our emotions and passions. Give us strength to follow through with firm purpose the plans you lay before us, even in the face of difficulty and trial. Finally, Father, fill us with gifts from on high – holy fear of offending you, true piety, in my relationships godly fortitude, docility to godly counsel, knowledge to conduct our lives aright, understanding and perspective of the way things fit together and wisdom to guide our thoughts, words and conduct. We pray that you bring us more into the likeness of your Son, Christ Jesus in all things through the power of the Holy Spirit. All this we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
First Day
Come, O Holy Ghost, the Lord and Life-giver; take up Your dwelling within our souls and make them your sacred temples. Make us live by grace as your adopted children. Pervade all the energies of our souls, and create in us a fountain of living water springing up into life everlasting. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
Second Day
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to our souls the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, and power, and beauty. Teach us to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Show us the way by which we may be able to attain to them and possess them, and hold them hereafter, our own forever. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
Third Day
Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation, and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Your light; and in the light of glory to have the clear vision of You and the Father and the Son. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
Fourth Day
Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide us in all my ways, that we may always do Your holy will. Incline our hearts to that which is good, turn them away from all that is evil, and direct us by the path of Your Commandments to the goal of eternal life for which we long. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
Fifth Day
Come, O Spirit of Fortitude, and give fortitude to our souls. Make our hearts strong in all trials and in all distress, pouring forth abundantly into them the gifts of strength, that we may be able to resist the attacks of the devil. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
Sixth Day
Come, O Spirit of Knowledge and make us understand and despise the emptiness and nothingness of the world. Give us grace to use the world only for Your glory and the salvation of Your creatures. May we always be very faithful in putting Your rewards before every earthly gift. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
Seventh Day
Come, O Spirit of Piety, possess our hearts; incline them to a true faith in You, to a holy love of You, our God, that with our whole souls we may seek You, and find you our best, our truest joy. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
My love and my prayers,
Father Jack