Week Three // O Holy Spirit, Beloved of My Soul
O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You.
Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me.
Tell me what I should do; give me Your orders.
I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to happen to me.
Let me only know Your will. Amen.
Week Three Intention
We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our local communities and dioceses.
Week Three // Day Seven
I promise to submit myself to all that you desire of me and to accept all you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will. Amen.
In the midst of a semester abroad in college, a slight misunderstanding occurred between my friend and me. We miscommunicated about the day we were going to meet each other in Paris, which resulted in my arrival a day early. I had no choice but to spend the night and wait for her train to arrive the following morning. I scrambled to find lodging for the night, researching options in internet cafés and seeking help from Parisians.
My inquiries lead me to Sacré-Cœur, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in the Red Light District. The religious sisters allowed pilgrims to sleep in their tiny hostel at no cost in exchange for one hour of Eucharistic Adoration during the night. It seemed so fitting that after my day of mild anguish, it was within the Sacred Heart I was to find rest. My hour of Adoration was particularly fruitful, and the sisters fed us a simple breakfast before lovingly giving us the boot prior to dawn.
With a couple of hours to kill, I went to the Eiffel Tower. It barely being morning, the usual line to reach the top of the steel structure was nonexistent. The elevator clicked as it lifted the few passengers, and a bit of light peaked over the horizon. I stepped onto the balcony as a light breeze brushed my face. It felt like a scene out of a movie as I watched the sun rise over the city. I could see the famous Arc de Triomphe, and couldn’t help but think there was no feat too great for God to triumph over.
My entire semester was full of these types of happenings. The unexpected became the norm, and I found my response tendencies shifting. Even when change resulted in unpleasant circumstances, I always experienced God in a new way. Submitting to these occurrences helped me to better recognize Him. Recognition led to contentment, and contentment led to trust. By the end of this semester, I wasn’t even rattled by unexpected happenings. I just proceeded with my day spiritually unscathed. It turns out that freedom is found in submission to the will of the Holy Spirit.
Try to approach today’s unexpected moments with curiosity instead of control.
Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners
Are there any areas in your life in which you struggle to submit to the Holy Spirit?
Grace is a regular contributor to the BIS Blog. She had planned to be a nurse until an encounter with Christ in Confession ignited a spark that resulted in an ongoing career as a high school Theology teacher. Though a cradle Catholic, she continues to be amazed at the depth of peace and joy that can be found within the Faith and can’t help but share that passion with others as a teacher, writer, and speaker. Outside of ministry, she dabbles in a bit of everything, excels in almost nothing, and like most moms, cannot survive without at least one cup of coffee a day. Grace resides in Charleston, SC with her hunky husband and their daughter who looks just like him. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Grace's posts here.
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