Love Is a Light That Enlightens the Soul
One of the greatest
evils which the sin of Adam has produced in us is that darkening of our reason
by means of the passions which cloud our mind. Oh, how miserable is that soul
which allows itself to be ruled by any passion! Passion is, as it were, a
vapor, a veil which prevents our seeing the truth. How can he fly from evil who
does not know what is evil? Besides, this darkness increases in proportion as
our sins increase. But the Holy Spirit, who is called “most blessed light,” is
he who not only inflames our hearts to love him through his divine splendor but
also dispels our darkness and shows us the vanity of earthly things, the value
of eternal goods, the importance of salvation, the worth of grace, the goodness
of God, the infinite love which he deserves and the immense love which he bears
us. “The sensual man perceives not these things that are of the Spirit of God”.
A man who is absorbed in the pleasures of the world knows little of these
truths and therefore, unfortunate that he is, loves what he ought to hate and
hates what he ought to love. Saint Mary Magdalene of Pazzi exclaimed: “Oh, love
not known! Oh, love not loved!” And Saint Teresa said that God is not loved
because he is not known. Therefore, the saints were always seeking light from
God: “Send forth Your light; illuminate my darkness; open You my eyes.” Yes,
because without light we cannot avoid precipices nor find God.
Affections and prayers
Holy and Divine
Spirit, I believe that You are true God, yet one God with the Father and the
Son. I adore You and acknowledge You as the Giver of those lights which make me
know the evil I have done in offending You and the obligation I have to love
You. I thank
You for these
lights. I am sorry for having offended You.
I have deserved
to be left in darkness, but I see that I am not yet abandoned by You. Continue,
O eternal Spirit, to enlighten my mind. Make me know still more Your infinite
goodness. Give me strength now to love You with all my heart. Add grace upon
grace so that I may be gently drawn to You and compelled to love none but You.
I ask for this grace through the merits of Jesus Christ.
I love You,
infinite Goodness; I love You more than myself. I will be all Yours. Accept me
and do not permit me to be separated from You again.
O my Mother,
Mary, help me always by your intercession.
Hymn to the Holy Spirit
Veni Creator
Come, Holy Ghost,
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.
To Thee the
Comforter we cry, To Thee, the gift of God most high! The fount of life! The
fire of love! The soul’s anointing from above.
The sevenfold
gifts of grace are Thine, O finger of the hand Divine; True promise of the
Father, Thou! Who dost the tongue with speech endow.
Thy light to
every thought impart, And shed Thy love in every heart; Our body’s poor
infirmity With strength perpetual fortify.
Our mortal foe
afar repel, Grant us henceforth in peace to dwell; If Thou be our preventing
guide, No evil can our steps betide.
Make Thou to us
the Father known; Teach us the Eternal Son to own, And Thee, Whose name we ever
bless, Of both, the Spirit to confess.
All glory while
the ages run Be to the Father and the Son Who rose from death; the same to
Thee, O Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen.
V. Send forth Thy
Spirit, and they shall be created; R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the
earth.
Let us pray
Oh God, Who didst
teach the hearts of Thy faithful people by sending them the light of Thy Holy
Spirit, grant us by the same Spirit, to have a right judgment in all things,
and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
(From
the Roman Breviary. An indulgence of 5 years. A plenary indulgence once a
month, under the usual conditions, for the daily recitation of this hymn with
its versicle and prayer.)
Act of Filial Submission
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.
Our Father
Our Father, Who
art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on
earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full
of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is
the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory Be
Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost
O Lord Jesus
Christ Who, before ascending into heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Spirit
to finish Thy work in the souls of Thy Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant
the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace
and Thy love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may
despise the perishable
things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the
Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy divine
truth; the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing
God and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with
Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my
salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow
perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety that I may find the
service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with
a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark
me, dear Lord, with the sign of Thy true disciples and animate me in all things
with Thy Spirit. Amen.
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