Collect for Pentecost - Extraordinary Form - Ah Hah!

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Preparing for Mass by reading commentary on the Sacred Liturgy helps me get a lot more out of being there. On Pentecost we find a very familiar prayer in the Mass that ends the "Come Holy Ghost" invocation often said before meetings or retreats. This Collect and Dom Prosper Gueranger's short comments knocked me over. After all the years of reading and saying this prayer, today turned into a "Wow!" experience. A thoughtless dullard woke up.

O God, who by the light of the Holy Ghost, didst this day instruct the hearts of the faithful: grant that, by the same Spirit, we may relish what is right, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through our Lord…

Gueranger says:

The Collect tells us what favors we should petition for from our heavenly Father on such a day as this. It also tells us that the Holy Ghost brings us two principal graces: a relish for the things of God and consolation of heart. Let us pray that we may receive both the one and the other, that we may thus become perfect Christians.

After learning about the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost and the twelve fruits, memorizing them and studying their meaning, I still didn't realize what's behind it all. We are supposed to delight in, to savor our Faith. Our Faith encompasses all the things of God. We are not oddballs if every time we turn around we are seeing God in the ordinary. We are not crazy, as the world would have us believe, if we are eagerly listening to hear God's will for us. We are not off the wall if we share our Faith with others and speak enthusiastically and indefatigably of the great things God has done for us. This is normal for the Christian. This is a gift of the Holy Spirit. This irrepressible relishing is what Peter and the others did on the first Pentecost Sunday when some scoffers accused them of being drunk.

The second grace, consolation of heart, flows naturally from the first. The lies and pressures of the world cannot shake up the heart of one relishing the things of God. We can discover the hand of God even though experiencing evil. It's all in our spiritual orientation. Truth is our true North on God's compass. To know it and carry it in our hearts is the greatest consolation and cause for rejoicing.

How can we develop a habit of relishing the things of God? The simple answer is, structure in our spiritual life. The Ignatian Daily Examen is only one method. Set times for prayer and set prayers help. Even in times of dryness in prayer we can do our daily duties out of love of God and they become a structure conducive to relishing the things of God. Living according to a Rule such as that of St. Benedict can be part of our structure, or imbibing the spirituality of the Carmelites, Franciscans, Dominicans, Passionists, et al.  Everything is there for us. All we need do is commit.  In today's Collect we have already asked for the grace. God will not refuse. Amen. Alleluia.

Veni Creator Spiritus

While I love the scriptures chosen for Pentecost Sunday, an excerpt from The Divine Consolation of Blessed Angela Foligno was especially helpful for understanding personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, Stained Glass Image

The Holy Spirit appeared to her and said, "I have not willed to send thee another messenger.  I am the Holy Spirit, who am come unto thee to bring thee such consolation as thou hast never before tasted . . . I will bear thee company and will speak to thee all the way . . . My daughter who are sweet unto me, my daughter who art my temple:  My beloved daughter, do thou love Me, for I do greatly love thee and much more than thou lovest me . . . . My beloved and my bride, love thou Me!  All thy life, thy eating and drinking and sleeping and all that thou dost is pleasing unto Me, if only thou lovest Me."

In a later appearance the Holy Spirit said to her, "Infinite is the love which I bear thee, but I do not reveal it unto thee -- yea, I do even conceal it . . . . for I desire that in this world thou shouldest hunger and long after Me and shouldest ever be eager to find Me. . . . So great is the love I bear thee that I no more remember thy sins, albeit Mine eyes do see them, for in thee have I much treasure."

Blessed Angela was overwhelmed by the consolations when she perceived so strongly her sinfulness.  She asked the Holy Spirit for a sign, for a ring.

The Holy Spirit told her, "Therefore will I give thee another sign, better than the one thou seekest, and which will be forever with thee, and in thy soul thou shalt always feel it.  The sign shall be this:  Thou shalt be fervent in love, and the love and the enlightened knowledge of God shall be ever with thee and in thee.  This shall be a certain sign unto thee that I am He, because none save I can do this."

Beautiful, right?

Some scripture references for the Holy Spirit:

Joel 2:

28	"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
29	And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Numbers 11:

27	And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28	So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, forbid them!”
29	Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!”

Ezekiel 36:

26	“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27	“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
28	“Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

John 20: (institution of Sacrament of Confession)

21	So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
22	And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23	If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

John 7:

37	On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38	He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
39	But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 14:

15	If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16	And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-
17	the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

25	These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26	But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27	Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Acts 2:

1	When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2	And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3	Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4	And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5	And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6	And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

Psalm 51:⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee.

Pope Benedict XVI on June 8, 2011 greeted young people in Vatican City telling them the Holy Spirit will make them "fearless witnesses of Christ".

He told them and tells us, "I exhort you, dear young people, to frequently invoke the Holy Spirit who makes you fearless witnesses of Christ."

Prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Holy Spirit,

Open our minds to know Jesus.

Open our hearts to receive His Love.

Holy Spirit,

Send your cleansing wind.

Blow away our doubts and fears.

Give us the wisdom to know

Your will and the courage to follow it

Give us the mind of Jesus.

Holy Spirit,

Ignite your holy fire in our souls.

Burn away anger and resentment

Warm us with love for You and for

one another.

Make us all one as you, the Father

and the Son, are one.

Holy Spirit,

Send us Your light.

Drive out confusion and despair.

Teach us to know Your truth.

Teach us to understand one another.

Holy Spirit,

lead us on the path

of justice and peace.

Holy Spirit,

send us forth to witness to the

Gospel by word and example.

May all who have been redeemed

by the blood of Christ, come to

know You, the one true God,

and Jesus Christ, whom

You have sent.

Amen!

Arrival in Wind and Fire

                             

Jean Restout's: Pentecost

I wrote the following reflection Pentecost Sunday two years ago. It has remained at the top of my "Most Visited" posts for some time now. I thought in celebration of Pentecost this year, I would share it here.
A very Happy and Blessed Birthday to our Catholic Church!

The Holy Spirit's Arrival in Wind and Fire

What must it have been like to be in that room among the 120 or so disciples of Christ along with His Blessed Mother? Jesus' Apostles were there, but also many who witnessed Him after His resurrection. They all believed, but their faith was at various stages and degrees. Despite that, there they all gathered waiting for the arrival of the Holy Spirit; Jesus' last promise before He ascended to His Father.
The atmosphere of that room must have been one of excitement, anticipation. and maybe even a little fear. After all, once the promised Spirit arrives, what next? And arrive the Spirit did in a driving wind and in tongues of fire descending upon all those gathered.
Pentecost is an ancient Jewish feast, so there were many Jews from various places all gathered in Jerusalem for the feast; not everyone spoke the same language. When the disciples emerged from the room and began preaching, everyone understood in their native tongue. The division that God had inflicted at Babel was now being transformed into unity in the coming of the Holy Spirit~ even if would just last for that day. In that moment, the prayer of Jesus seemed to be answered~ they were all one.
Our Church today is the "one holy, Catholic and apostolic Church", yet there still remain divisions. This Pentecost let us take up the prayer of Jesus and pray that the Church and all Christians will be one. Let us ask the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of Life, to continue to breathe life into the Church.

St Augustine's Prayer To The Holy Spirit

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. 

Amen.

The Action of the Holy Spirit

If you follow the 1962 liturgical calendar you know that we just celebrated the fifth Sunday after Pentecost. I like to think of this part of the Church year as the time of the Holy Spirit because the "after Pentecost" always reminds me that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit for a reason - to give the apostles and disciples the seven gifts to spread the good news of Christ, and that is what all of us are supposed to be doing today.

The length of time after Pentecost is the longest season of the liturgical year, the time when also we contemplate the Holy Spirit working in the baptized and confirmed person to bring the soul to oneness with God, following the example of Jesus.

Surrender of our will is essential to the action of the Holy Spirit in us, yet our human weakness resists mightily. Like two year olds, we want what we want when we want it and the way we want it. When the Spirit meets this kind of resistance in our hearts, He desists from the work of our sanctification because He will not do violence to our liberty. He is the Spirit of love, desiring that we participate lovingly in His work. To receive His graces we must yield willingly. It matters not what our feelings are - overcoming reluctance, resistance, fear, anger, and other negative emotions is all about our will. We may feel abhorrence in giving up pleasures and certain habits we are accustomed to, but our will to do it under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is true love of God and opens our souls to even greater graces.

Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene, O.C.D. writes in Divine Intimacy:

By giving us grace, without which we could have done nothing to attain sanctity, the Holy Spirit inaugurated His work in us: He elevated us to the supernatural state. Grace comes from God; it is a gift from all three Persons of the Blessed Trinity: a gift created by the Father, merited by the Son in consequence of His Incarnation, Passion, and death, and diffused in our souls by the Holy Spirit. But it is to the latter, to the Spirit of love, that the work of our sanctification is attributed in a very special manner. When we were baptized we were justified "in t he name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"; nevertheless, Sacred Scripture particularly attributes this work of regeneration and divine filiation to the Holy Spirit.

We can only walk the narrow path to sanctity by the grace of God. In this time of the Holy Spirit, it makes sense to think deeply about being a saint - being what we were created to be. Some questions that demand honest answers regarding the action of the Holy Spirit in us are:

What am I attached to that is keeping me from growing in being Christlike?

Do I spend time in prayer every day?

With what disposition do I assist at Mass? Is it just something I do to "get it over with so I can do what I want to do"? Am I seeking a greater understanding of the meaning of the Mass?

Do I seek an ever deeper understanding of the teachings of the Church and think about why God wants me to live according to them?

What am I lying to myself about in how I am living my life?

What kind of books am I reading, TV shows do I watch, movies do I see? Do they make me desire the salvation of souls, including my own? Do they bring joy and true relaxation, inspiration and peace to my heart or do they aid in enslavement to sin?

Do the people I associate with lead me into sin?

What kind things am I doing for others in my life?

What penances and sacrifices do I make to train my will and please God?

Am I willing to surrender even my life with a generous heart if God asks for it?

Some of these questions are downright scary to think about, but answered honestly can open our hearts to let the Holy Spirit have freer reign in us, if we so will.

Until the end of the world, we are in the time of the Holy Spirit. Let's all submit our wills to the action of the Holy Spirit every day in every little way that we can so that this world will be a better place to live, we may save our souls, and many more saints will be raised up to glorify God.