Week Two // Veni Creator Spiritus
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God's hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou
Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts o'erflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven.
Amen.
Week Two Intention
We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our families.
Week Two // Day Four
Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts overflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.
A reason I love the "Veni Creator Spiritus" prayer is because it was one of Pope St. John Paul II’s favorite prayers. He recited it daily from the time he was eleven, up until his death. Pope St. John Paul expressed that:
From the time I was little, I learned to pray to the Holy Spirit. When I was eleven, I was feeling sad because I was having a lot of trouble with math. My dad showed me in a little book the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus and he told me, ‘Pray this and you’ll see that He’ll help you to understand.’ I’ve been praying this hymn every day, and I’ve seen how much the Divine Spirit helps us.
I often wonder how the Saints were able to achieve such great heights of holiness. Their sanctity and heroic virtue can feel unattainable. Yet, this story of Pope St. John Paul II reveals what I believe to be the secret of the Saints: namely, fidelity to prayer and asking the Holy Spirit to enter into their lives. When we do these two things, our hearts overflow with love, and miracles take place.
Jesus promised us that those who believe in Him will do all the works that He did on earth—and even greater works, too (John 14:12). What an incredible reality! What a beautiful promise! We are able to work miracles through and by the gift of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus did, just as the great Saints did, and continue to do today. Place your trust and confidence in the Holy Spirit. Be fearless as you work miracles, both big and small, in His name.
Do you truly believe that God is a God of miracles? Do you believe in miracles? Reflect upon the wonders God has done for you in your life, both big and small. Write three down and thank God for each of them.
Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners
Discuss with your prayer partner who your favorite Saint is. Why are you so attracted to that Saint? What virtues, stories, or miracles have led you to love this Saint so much? If you don’t have a favorite Saint, pray together and ask the Holy Spirit to send you a Saint, a Saint to be with you and intercede for you this year.
Claire Couche is a wife, etiquette instructor, blogger, homeschooling mother, and registered nurse. She is passionate about sharing content that helps her community live a beautiful and virtuous life. Using her degrees in theology and history, Claire shares about the Catholic faith often on her IG account @findingphilothea and her website, Finding Philothea. You can often find her reading a good book in a beautiful dress! Learn more about Claire and all things etiquette here.
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