First Day: The Gift of Fear of the Lord
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
Response: And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Leader: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created,
Response: And you shall renew the face of the earth.
All: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.” Whenever Scripture speaks of the fear of the Lord, we notice that it never mentions it on its own, as if fear could, by itself, bring our faith to perfection. But of the true fear of the Lord we read: “Come, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” The fear of God, then, is something to be learned, because it is taught. Its origins are found by way of teaching, and not in fright. We find it in obeying the commandments, in doing the good deeds of a blameless life, in coming to know the truth, and not in moments of human terror. All our fear of God is inspired and perfected by love. By the gift of the Holy Spirit, may we be overwhelmed by the greatness and goodness of God, and avoid all sin and attachment to created things, so that each of us may be a living sign of the gospel for all people to see.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, from the beginning of time you have prepared the way of salvation for the human race wounded by sin and death. Through your inspired word, you have taught that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” By the gift of the Holy Spirit may we walk always along the path you have revealed, following your counsels, conforming ourselves to your commands, and trusting your promises as heralds of a new Pentecost. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.
Mary, Temple of the Holy Spirit,
Response: Pray for us.
Second Day: The Gift of Piety
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
Response: And kindle in them the fire of your love.
All: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, And you shall renew the face of the earth. Piety is the honor and reverence given to someone who is in any way responsible for our existence and our well-being. The gift of piety moves our hearts, first of all, to filial honor and reverence for God because he is our creator and redeemer. The devotional life of the Church is an expression of our honor and reverence for God and for all that belongs to heaven. Piety also extends to our earthly parents, and to all others whom God has placed over us in some way, for our spiritual and material good. May the Holy Spirit renew the gift of piety within our hearts and homes, our parishes and communities, so that by our example of honor and reverence we may be a model to others of a life lived in and for God.
Let us pray.
Gracious Lord, you have fashioned everything out of nothing, giving life and breath to all that exists. You order everything according to your loving providence, and establish the relationships by which our lives are nurtured and ordered. Confirm in us the gift of piety, so that by our honor and reverence for you and for those you have given to us, we may bear witness to the working of the Holy Spirit, and become instruments of a new Pentecost in our time. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.
Mary, Model of Piety,
Response: Pray for us.
Third Day: The Gift of Fortitude
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
Response: And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Leader: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created,
Response: And you shall renew the face of the earth.
All: Fortitude is steadfastness in doing what is right and good in the face of obstacles and trials. The gift of fortitude overcomes unreasonable fears, on the one hand, and keeps us from being reckless, on the other. It is the special virtue of those who are pioneers in any endeavor. Fortitude makes it possible for us to undertake difficult tasks, to face risks and dangers, and to endure whatever comes without undue anxiety, discouragement or complaint. Without fortitude we cannot hope to persevere in our Christian calling. Nor can we fulfill the mission that is ours by Baptism and Confirmation, to bear witness to the gospel for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit renew in us the gift of fortitude amid all the challenges presented by today’s society and culture.
Let us pray. Almighty Father, be gracious and bless us with the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that we may persevere with fortitude in doing what we know to be right and good. Strengthen us in our weakness, so that when we are weary, discouraged, or are put to the test, we may overcome every obstacle, and be refreshed on the path to holiness and virtue. May no trial or difficulty keep us from bearing witness to the splendor of truth which radiates from the face of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, now and forever, Amen.
Mary, Tower of Fortitude,
Response: Pray for us.
Fourth Day: The Gift of Knowledge
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
Response: And kindle in them the fire of your love.
All: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, And you shall renew the face of the earth. According to the Scriptures, true knowledge can only be acquired by recognizing the loving call of God, and by responding with love to his divine plan. St. John’s gospel tells us: “This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” Knowledge is centered entirely on the supreme mystery of Christ, and his dying and rising, which unlock the meaning of every human life and of all history. As a gift of the Holy Spirit, knowledge gives us certainty that all things are ordered to God in Christ. This knowledge is revealed on every page of Scripture, is deepened by the Church’s living tradition, and is celebrated in the liturgy. By a new Pentecost in our time, may the Holy Spirit confirm in us a sure knowledge of the truths of faith.
Let us pray. Father, we ask you to send the Holy Spirit upon our minds and hearts so that the gift of knowledge which is ours by Baptism and Confirmation may be purified and deepened. May the darkness of our sins be overcome by the splendor of knowing you, the only true God, and the one whom you have sent, Jesus Christ. Filled with the knowledge imparted by the Holy Spirit, may we radiate light for the salvation of the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Mary, blessed with Knowledge,
Response: Pray for us.
Fifth Day: The Gift of Understanding
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
Response: And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Leader: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created,
Response: And you shall renew the face of the earth.
All: Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, perfects our faith by enabling us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths in a way that transcends human reason. Our natural way of knowing is elevated by a graced intuition and insight into the things of God. By faith we know them, but by the gift of understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. This appreciation radiates outward to others, because our faith is no longer just a matter of information from a book, but a way of living rooted in intimacy with the mysteries of Christ. May the Holy Spirit attune our hearts and minds to a deeper spiritual understanding of these mysteries, so that as missionary disciples of a new Pentecost in our time, we may draw others to Christ and to his church.
Let us pray. Father, send the Holy Spirit into our minds and hearts, giving us a deeper understanding of the mysteries of salvation. May he teach and instruct us, the people you have made your own, so that we may never waver in our faith, but by the gift of understanding may be ready to give an answer to all who ask the reason for the hope that is within us. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
Mary, Seat of Understanding,
Response: Pray for us.
Sixth Day: The Gift of Counsel
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
Response: And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Leader: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created,
Response: And you shall renew the face of the earth.
All: The gift of counsel applies our knowledge and understanding to the many concrete situations of everyday life. Counsel elevates the virtue of prudence, so that we will choose the wisest course of action in a given situation, especially when we are perplexed as to the right choice to be made. Counsel endows us with a desire to act always in a way that promotes our sanctification and salvation, in accordance with God’s holy will. We pray that the Holy Spirit will richly endow us with the ability to judge rightly the situations that challenge our faith, so that we may not waver along the path to holiness.
Let us pray. Father, send the Spirit of Counsel upon us for the accomplishment of your holy will in our lives, in the Church, and in the world. Incline our hearts to your will, our minds to right judgment, and our actions to what is good, so that living by the Holy Spirit, we may truly be “salt and light” for others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Mary, Mother of Good Counsel,
Response: Pray for us.
Seventh Day: The Gift of Wisdom
Leader: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
Response: And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Leader: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created,
Response: And you shall renew the face of the earth.
All: The gift of wisdom is nothing less than loving, contemplative union with God, which makes it possible for us to see all things from a divine perspective. When it is understood in its full breadth, wisdom can rightly be called
“communion,” since it is a share in divine life, a union made perfect in the truth of love. Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. It strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. May the Holy Spirit raise up our hearts and minds to rest in God alone, so that we, his people, may be living signs of a new Pentecost in our time.
Let us pray. Father, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy his consolations. May he permeate our thoughts, words and actions, so that bearing witness to the gift of salvation, your church may lead all people to Christ the Way, the Truth and the Life, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Mary, Seat of Wisdom,
Response: Pray for us.
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