Week Four // Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit,
Divine Consoler,
I adore You as my true God,
with God the Father and God the Son.
I adore You and unite myself to the adoration
You receive from the angels and saints.
I give You my heart
and I offer my ardent thanksgiving
for all the grace which You never cease to bestow on me.
O Giver of all supernatural gifts,
who filled the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of God, with such immense favors,
I beg You to visit me with Your grace
and Your love and to grant me the gift of holy fear,
so that it may act on me as a check to prevent me
from falling back into my past sins,
for which I beg pardon.
Grant me the gift of piety,
so that I may serve You for the future with increased
fervor,
follow with more promptness Your holy inspirations,
and observe your divine precepts with greater fidelity.
Grant me the gift of knowledge,
so that I may know the things of God and,
enlightened by Your holy teaching, may walk,
without deviation, in the path of eternal salvation.
Grant me the gift of fortitude,
so that I may overcome courageously all the assaults of
the devil,
and all the dangers of this world which threaten the
salvation of my soul.
Grant me the gift of counsel,
so that I may choose what is more conducive to my
spiritual advancement
and may discover the wiles and snares of the tempter.
Grant me the gift of understanding,
so that I may apprehend the divine mysteries
and by contemplation of heavenly things detach my thoughts
and affections from the vain things of this miserable
world.
Grant me the gift of wisdom,
so that I may rightly direct all my actions,
referring them to God as my last end;
so that, having loved Him and served Him in this life,
I may have the happiness of possessing Him eternally in
the next.
Week Four Intention
We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Universal Church.
Week Four // Day One
Holy Spirit,
Divine Consoler,
I adore You as my true God,
with God the Father and God the Son.
I adore You and unite myself to the adoration
You receive from the angels and saints.
I give You my heart
and I offer my ardent thanksgiving
for all the grace which You never cease to bestow on me.
O Giver of all supernatural gifts,
who filled the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of God, with such immense favors,
I beg You to visit me with Your grace
and Your love and to grant me the gift of holy fear,
so that it may act on me as a check to prevent me
from falling back into my past sins,
for which I beg pardon.
How often do my prayers turn into a list of requests—worded reverently, but requests nonetheless? When I’m being truly honest…most of the time. And I believe this is not altogether a bad thing. We are called to intercede for our loved ones and for our world. God wants us to lay down our sincere needs, our hearts' desires, and even the most insignificant moments throughout the day (“Please, Lord, help me to find a parking spot!”) at the feet of Jesus.
But no matter how “much I pray,” if I am only ever asking for things from God, I leave no time to simply love Him. My marriage would crumble rapidly if I treated my husband the way I so often treat Our Lord God, King of the Universe. Eye contact, uninterrupted attention, silenced cell phones, an hour or two of alone time, and the words “I love you” spoken again and again fuel my marriage. How much more do I need to give—and to receive—those same things from the Holy Trinity?
St. Alphonsus Liguori’s Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which we are praying through this week, is a prayer made up mostly of requests. But long before expressing his desires for the good and holy gifts he requests of God, St. Alphonsus Liguori adores God. He professes his love and devotion to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He gives his heart to the Lord before asking for anything.
His first request is simply for this: presence. For the Holy Spirit to fill him as He did our Blessed Mother. St. Alphonsus Liguori knew that even in the midst of his incredibly active ministry and mission work, all was for naught if he did not love God actively, if he did not draw near to Him first and foremost.
Having worshiped the Holy Spirit, offered himself, and welcomed God’s presence, St. Alphonsus Liguori asks for the gift of holy fear. If God is to answer his request for His presence (which we know He will!), St. Alphonsus Liguori desires a response that is appropriate.
As we invite the Holy Spirit more deeply into our lives this week, let us ask for the same holy fear, “that it may act on [us] as a check to prevent [us] from falling back into [our] past sins.”
Spend time in prayer today—not asking God for anything, but simply loving Him, worshiping Him, and being in His presence.
Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners
What percentage of your current prayer life is made up of worship? What percentage is spent praying for different intentions? How may this breakdown need to change?
I give You my heart. #BISblog #prayerpledge //Click to tweet
Lisa Kirk is a regular contributor to the BIS blog. New York City-born and internationally raised, she now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her study-abroad-crush-turned-husband and their two children. A former wedding magazine editor and fashion copywriter, she now writes primarily for Something Pretty, the Catholic living and classic style blog she began in 2010. She loves learning about the Saints, wandering the city with coffee in hand, and making new friends on Instagram. Read all of Lisa's posts here.
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