Come Holy Spirit
“All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer.” -Acts 1:14
As we complete our Holy Spirit Novena, it is a great time to celebrate this Liturgical day along with exploring what a Novena is and how this ancient form of prayer connects to Pentecost Sunday.
Novenas have enriched my life in so many unique ways. From my very first Novena said many years ago to St. Thérèse of Lisieux to recently completing nine days of nine-hour novenas to St. Expeditus, my love of this traditional prayer has grown exponentially. My favorite aspect of praying Novenas isn't the repetitive prayer but the devotion to a particular Saint (or cause). I've learned more about myself through the power of prayer and have enriched my experience within my Faith. In contrast, I can't say that I have all the knowledge behind theology or the correct answers for faith-based questions. What I do know is Traditional Prayer and how it profoundly encourages trust and devotion. I realize Novenas aren't for everyone; some enjoy non-traditional approaches to praying or simply saying the Rosary. Regardless of your stance, I hope at the end of this article, you gain a new love and understanding for the power of Novenas. A little bit of effort and dedication can bring new levels of Faith into your life. My recent challenge is adding additional elements to offer another form of sacrifice and devotion to my Novena prayers. During my current Novenas and 33-day consecration to Divine Mercy, I have given up all forms of beverages with the exception of water, including caffeine and alcohol. I've loved this newfound strength in sacrifice so much that I have decided to extend it into a new month. The clarity of removing additional stimulants like caffeine and saying NO to the desire for certain things has genuinely elevated my prayer life.
I can typically be found at any given time to be in the middle of 3-5 novenas. When I am not participating in a nine-day novena or devoting myself to a particular Saint, I miss the richness that comes through discipline and offering. While requesting a petition and receiving those graces is great, I prefer the gift of spending time with the Saints, learning about their unique traits, and becoming better through them.
What is a Novena?
The word "novena" is derived from the Latin word for nine, or "novem." Typically, a novena refers to nine days of prayer, asking God for a specific intention, often through a Saint's intercession. Novenas are an impactful way to grow more profound, consistent, and more persistent in daily prayer.
Most novenas begin or end on a Saint's feast day but you can start at any time. While most novenas are indeed nine days long, there are some exceptions (like the St. Joseph Cloak novena, which is 30 days long!). Novenas can be said as "9 hours" emergency prayers sent straight to God (Infant of Prague, St. Jude, St. Anthony, etc.) for those urgent times when waiting nine hours for an answered prayer just won't do.
Why is a Novena 9 Days?
There are a few reasons why the number nine is significant. The first came from the Acts of the Apostles when Jesus told His disciples to gather together and pray after His Ascension into Heaven. The Apostles, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, went to the Upper Room and prayed together for the nine days between Jesus' Ascension and Pentecost. Another reason could be that nine is significant because Mary carried Jesus in her womb for nine months.
Pentecost
At his Last Supper, Jesus instructed his 12 disciples to go out into the world to minister and heal the sick on their own. It was at that point that they became "apostles." Fifty days after Jesus' death, the Holy Spirit descended onto the apostles. This experience allowed the apostles to direct communication with God, signaling a significant shift in the religious perspective and laying the foundation for Christianity.
The Pentecost Novena in honor of the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the direction of Jesus Himself when He sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. It is still the only Novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength, and love needed by every Christian.
Fun Fact: In the city of Rome, but also in other places of the world, the feast of Pentecost is called Rose Sunday." The Catholic Encyclopedia explains the history of this custom. In Italy, it was customary to scatter rose leaves from the ceiling of the churches to recall the miracle of the fiery tongues; hence in Sicily and elsewhere in Italy, Whitsunday is called Pascha rosatum. The Italian name Pascha rossa comes from the red colors of the vestments used on Whitsunday.
Source: https://aleteia.org/2021/05/20/why-pentecost-is-called-rose-sunday/
Consecration 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, 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 heareth." Amen.
Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit have traditionally been used by believers in Roman Catholic devotion and practice. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit's virtues and graces were identified in Isaiah 11:1-2.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are present in their fullness in Jesus Christ, but they are found in all Christians who are in a state of grace. We receive them with sanctifying grace, the life of God within us. We first receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Baptism; then, these gifts are strengthened in the Sacrament of Confirmation.
As the current Catechism of the Catholic Church (para. 1831) notes, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit "complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them." Infused with His gifts, we respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as if by instinct, the way Christ Himself would.
Learn more about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:
Wisdom
Wisdom is the first and highest gift of the Holy Spirit because it is the perfection of the theological virtue of Faith. Through wisdom, we come to value properly those things which we believe through Faith. The truths of Christian belief are more important than the things of this world, and wisdom helps us to order our relationship to the created world properly, loving Creation for the sake of God, rather than for its own sake.
Understanding
Understanding is the second gift of the Holy Spirit, and people sometimes have a hard time understanding (no pun intended) how it differs from wisdom. While wisdom is the desire to contemplate the things of God, understanding allows us to grasp, at least in a limited way, the very essence of the truths of the Catholic Faith. Through understanding, we gain a certitude about our beliefs that moves beyond Faith.
Counsel
Counsel, the third gift of the Holy Spirit, is the perfection of the cardinal virtue of prudence. Anyone can practice prudence, but counsel is supernatural. Through this gift of the Holy Spirit, we can judge how best to act almost by intuition. Because of the assistance of counsel, Christians need not fear to stand up for the truths of the Faith because the Holy Spirit will guide us in defending those truths.
Fortitude
While counsel is the perfection of a cardinal virtue, fortitude is both a gift of the Holy Spirit and a cardinal virtue. Fortitude is ranked as the fourth gift of the Holy Spirit because it gives us the strength to follow through on the actions suggested by the assistance of counsel. While fortitude is sometimes called courage, it goes beyond what we usually think of as courage. Fortitude is the virtue of the martyrs that allows them to suffer death rather than renounce the Christian Faith.
Knowledge
The fifth gift of the Holy Spirit, knowledge, is often confused with both wisdom and understanding. Like wisdom, knowledge is the perfection of Faith, but whereas learning gives us the desire to judge all things according to the truths of the Catholic Faith, knowledge is the actual ability to do so. Like counsel, it is aimed at our actions in this life. In a limited way, knowledge allows us to see the circumstances of our lives and how God sees them. Through this gift of the Holy Spirit, we can determine God's purpose for our lives and live them accordingly.
Piety
Piety, the sixth gift of the Holy Spirit, is the perfection of the virtue of religion. While we tend to think of religion today as the external elements of our Faith, it means the willingness to worship and to serve God. Piety takes that willingness beyond a sense of duty so that we desire to worship God and to serve Him out of love, the way that we desire to honor our parents and do what they wish.
Fear of the Lord
The seventh and final gift of the Holy Spirit is the fear of the Lord, and perhaps no other offering of the Holy Spirit is so misunderstood. We think of fear and hope as opposites, but the fear of the Lord confirms the theological virtue of hope. This gift of the Holy Spirit gives us the desire not to offend God, as well as the certainty that God will supply us the grace that we need to keep from offending Him. Our desire not to offend God is more than simply a sense of duty; like piety, the fear of the Lord arises out of love.
ThoughtCo. "The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit."
Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit-542143 (accessed May 22, 2021).
For more information on Novenas, check out the following resources:
Hallow - Catholic Meditation App
Please email me at marissa@thosewhoseek.org to share wins and learnings on starting your Novena prayer journey!
About The Author
Marissa Lenon resides in Los Angeles, CA. She is passionate about supporting young Catholic professionals to expand in their faith. Marissa writes with an emphasis on personal discernment, relationships, professional development, and self-empowerment.
Finding solace in the rosary, acts of kindness, daily mass, and novenas, Marissa believes the real pathway to happiness is helping others achieve their greatness and potential through faith!
Marissa facilitates marketing, branding, writing, and event planning for Seeking Excellence alongside a talented group of individuals.
Connect with Marissa on Instagram @bellemarissa_xoxo or send her an email at marissa@thosewhoseek.org