Come, Holy Spirit Novena Day 6

Scripture

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” II Corinthians 5:18-19

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

Meditation

In a Lenten message in 2001, St. John Paul II said:

 “In proclaiming forgiveness and love of enemies, the Church is aware of adding to the spiritual heritage of all humanity a new mode of human relationships; an arduous mode, to be sure, but one that is also rich in hope. In this, the Church knows she can rely on the help of the Lord, who never abandons those who turn to him in times of difficulty. ‘Love is not resentful’ (I Cor 13:5). With these words… the Apostle Paul recalls that forgiveness is one of the highest forms of the practice of charity.”

We who seek to live holy lives, full of the Holy Spirit and of the freedom and unity that He brings, must commit ourselves to the call of forgiveness. St. Paul tells us that Christ Himself has committed to us the message of reconciliation. As we live out the message of forgiveness and reconciliation, we not only act in the love of Christ toward another, but we also allow the Holy Spirit freedom to live and move in us. In his book, Interior Freedom, Fr. Jacques Philippe writes, “When we forgive someone, while we are in a sense doing good to that person by cancelling a debt, we are doing much good to ourselves. We rediscover a freedom that we were at risk of losing through resentment and hurt feelings.”

True forgiveness happens only as we humble ourselves at the foot of the cross of Christ. As we become aware of our own sin and the mercy of God to us, the Holy Spirit fills us with His power to forgive as the Lord has forgiven us.

Prayer

Oh Lord, I want to be set free from the strongholds that bind me and don’t allow You to move freely in my heart. Come, Holy Spirit, and bring to my memory the hurts and offenses that I am still holding on to. [PAUSE] I want to forgive as You have forgiven me. I know that forgiveness is Your work; I abandon myself to Your work of forgiveness in me. Please continue this work in me until I have forgiven all those who have hurt me from the depths of my heart. Amen

Traditional prayer invoking the Holy Spirit: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Meditation and first prayer by Adriana Gonzalez

Here is a video of John Bateman singing Come, Holy Ghost. Please join in singing this beautiful ancient hymn invoking the Holy Spirit.