Novena - between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday: Gracious Father, pour out Your Spirit upon Your people, and grant us a new vision of Your Glory, a new experience of your power, A new consecration to your service, That your love may grow among us, and your kingdom come; through Christ our Lord, Amen

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Prayer for the Seven Gift of the Holy Spirit
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your 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 Your 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 You 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, and 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 Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen. Novena to the Holy Spirit [ext link]

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“This is the mystery of Pentecost: The Holy Spirit illuminates the human spirit and, on revealing Christ crucified and risen, indicates the way to become more like him, that is, to be "expression and instrument of love that comes from him" ("Deus Caritas Est," No. 33). The Church, gathered with Mary, as at her birth, today implores: "Veni Sancte Spiritus!" -- "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of thy love!” ~ Pope Benedict VXI, Pentecost Mass, June 4, 2006

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 "The Church is born with the outpouring of the Spirit of reconciliation. Reconciliation has to be her main task. The apostles, meeting the risen Christ, are mandated to carry out this task of reconciliation. They are given peace, and in their turn they are sent in the power of the Spirit to promote the work of reconciliation across the world, in all ages." ~ Bishop Christopher Budd

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"Come, Holy Spirit, come in our cities, in our homes, in our families, in our glances, in our hearts. Without you, we read books and do not become wise. Without you, we dialogue much and do not come closer to one another. Without you, reality consists in dry events, facts and numbers. Without you, our life falls apart into a succession of meaningless days. Without you, there is no fidelity. Without you, our thoughts become delirious. Without you, technology destroys us. Without you, churches become museums. Without you, prayer is just babbling. Without you, our smile becomes petrified. Without you, our environment becomes a desert. Come, Holy Spirit, our emptiness cries after your fullness! Come, Spirit Creator, make your dwelling in our world!" (reminder medcom05_03.htm to be re-linked after L12 site closed)

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Pope Benedict XVI encourages the faithful to rediscover the beauty of being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

"Let us rediscover, dear brothers and sisters, the beauty of being baptized in the Holy Spirit; let us be aware again of our baptism and of our confirmation, sources of grace that are always present." 5/13/2008 Zenit News Agency (www.zenit.org) Vatican City

The Pope made this invitation today from the window of his study before praying the Regina Caeli with thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square. The Holy Father gave his traditional Sunday greeting shortly after finishing the celebration of Mass for the feast of Pentecost.

The Pontiff first noted that Pentecost was an ancient Hebrew feast that became a Christian feast on account of the Holy Spirit's descent upon Mary and the disciples in the Upper Room that day, 50 days after the Resurrection.

"In effect, Jesus' whole mission was aimed at giving the Spirit of God to men and baptizing them in the 'bath' of regeneration," the Pope said.

"This was realized through his glorification, that is, through his death and resurrection: Then the Spirit of God was poured out in a super-abundant way, like a waterfall able to purify every heart, to extinguish the flames of evil and ignite the fire of divine love in the world.

"The Acts of the Apostles present Pentecost as a fulfillment of such a promise and therefore as the crowning moment of Jesus' whole mission. After his resurrection, he himself ordered his disciples to stay in Jerusalem, because, he said, 'In a short time you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit'; and he added: 'You will have the power of the Holy Spirit, who will descend upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Galilee and Samaria unto the ends of the earth.'"

Church's baptism: Benedict XVI said that Pentecost is thus, "in a special way, the baptism of the Church who undertakes her universal mission beginning from the streets of Jerusalem with prodigious preaching in the different languages of humanity."

"In this baptism of the Holy Spirit," the Pope continued, "the personal and communal dimensions -- the 'I' of the disciple and the 'we' of the Church -- are inseparable. The Spirit consecrates the person and at the same time makes him a living member of the mystical body of Christ, participant in the mission to witness to his love."

This consecration and insertion into the mystical body of Christ, "is actualized through the sacraments of Christian initiation: baptism and confirmation," he said.

"In my message for World Youth Day 2008, I invited young people to rediscover the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives and, therefore, the importance of these sacraments," the Holy Father added.

"Today I would like to extend this invitation to everyone: Let us rediscover, dear brothers and sisters, the beauty of being baptized in the Holy Spirit; let us be aware again of our baptism and of our confirmation, sources of grace that are always present.

"Let us ask the Virgin Mary to obtain a renewed Pentecost for the Church again today, a Pentecost that will spread in everyone the joy of living and witnessing to the Gospel."

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"Come, Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle is us the fire of Your Love.
Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Oh, 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 rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen"

Leader - Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
All -  And kindle in them the fire of your love
Leader - Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created
All -  And you will renew the face of the earth
Leader - Let us pray (pause)
ALL - Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit, you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to love what is right and always rejoice in your consolation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Through the diversity of many languages you have brought the nations together in the unity of the faith.

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Come Holy Spirit, replace the tension within me with a holy relaxation.
Replace the turbulence within me with a sacred calm.
Replace the anxiety within me with a quiet confidence.
Replace the fear within me with a strong faith.
Replace the bitterness within me with a sweetness of grace.
Replace the darkness within me with a gentle light.
Replace the coldness within me with a loving warmth.
Replace the night within me with your light.
Straighten our crookedness, fill our emptiness.
Dull the edge of our pride.  Sharpen the edge of our humility.
Light the fires of our love.  Quench the flames of our lust.
Let us see ourselves as You see us.
That we may see You as You have promised,
and be fortunate according to your word!

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COME, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. X3

Most Holy Spirit, open my heart, soften it, and fill it with light and love so that I may understand clearly and act for my own spiritual benefit and for the delight of my Heavenly Mother, Your Beloved Spouse. May I stay under Your guidance so that, free of all worldly desires and distractions, I may grow in wisdom and prudence enough to follow perfectly the wishes of the Most Blessed Trinity. Amen

Medjugorje message April 17, 1986 "...! You are absorbed with material things, but in the material you lose everything that God wishes to give you. I call you, dear children, to pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are necessary for you now in order to be able to give witness to my presence here and to all that I am giving you. Dear children, let go to me so I can lead you completely. Don't be absorbed with material things. ..."

Medjugorje Message of May 23, 1985 "Dear children, during these days I call you to especially open your hearts to the Holy Spirit, who is working through you. Open your hearts and surrender your lives to Jesus so that He can work through your hearts and strengthen you in faith." (Medjugorje message 23/5/85)

Medjugorje Message of May 25, 2009 "Dear children! In this time, I call you all to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit upon every baptized creature, so that the Holy Spirit may renew you all and lead you on the way of witnessing your faith – you and all those who are far from God and His love. I am with you and intercede for you before the Most High. Thank you for having responded to my call."

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Holy Spirit - giver of Life - Who didst overshadow Mary that she might become the Mother of Jesus our Saviour, do thou likewise work silently within my heart. To form within me, the fullness of his redeemed and redeeming humanity. Give me His loving heart to burn with love for God and love for men, Give me a share, In his joy and His sorrow, his weakness and his strength, His labour for the world's salvation. May Mary blessed among women, mother of our Saviour, Pray for me, that Christ may be formed in me, That I may live in a union of heart & with Jesus Christ her Son, our Lord and Saviour. Amen. ~ Cheslyn Jones

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The beginning of Fr. Cormac Breathnach's sermon on Pentecost Sunday, 2000

This is the birthday of the Church. Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus who has been stronger than life and death, Jesus who is stronger than sin and failure and limitation, Jesus has risen and now is no longer with us in the way he was with his friends in Galilee and in Judea. Now he sends us The Spirit and sends us, Spirit filled people out into a world which wants to know Jesus. Jesus Christ wants to reach out to all peoples. You and I are the answer to that desire of Christ.

That's what makes today's feast such a joyful one and also such almost terrifyingly challenging. Christ wants to be present in the world, we are the answer. We are the answer to Christ's desire to reach out to the people of Penzance, to the people of the Penwith, to the People of the Parishes we represent here in our gathering today.

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Fr. Jozo Zovko's homily at St. Paschal's Church (Thousand Oaks, California.)

We will invoke to Our Lord, Come Holy Spirit, Oh come Holy Spirit, you who make peace for each other in our hearts. Fill our hearts with peace, give me Your love that I may give and wish well for all, that I desire to pray good, and give blessings and peace to ever person.

Come Holy Spirit, you who prays, pour yourself out in prayer into my heart, that my heart may heal the hungry and thirsty. Come most Holy Spirit, you with the power that strengthens all. Come embrace me today, change me today, I have come to be happy. I have come to become closer to the Mother, I have come to give Her joy and love.

Come Holy Spirit, Come and change me, Come and bless me, Come and convert me.
Come most Holy Spirit. We invoke you most Holy Spirit.

(Song, "Spirit of the Living God...") (see above)

Come Holy Spirit, Come you Who are love, today I want to become love. I want to leave behind every conflict, and every bad thought.  Come Holy Spirit, come into my heart, renew all that is in my heart, in my relationships, in my neighbours, renew love within me.

Come most Holy Spirit, your Mother together with the Church prays to you.

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turn sound on to hear the music on some of the following links:

Spirit of God (to the tune of the 'Skye Boat Song')

external links (now broken & left for searching):- O Spirit of the living God (Montgomery) | O Spirit of the living God (Tweedy)

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me /us / them;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me /us / them;
Break me /us / them; Melt me /us / them; Mould me /us / them; Fill me /us / them;
(Alternative line:- Melt me/us/them; Mould me/us/them; Fill me/us/them; Use me/us/them);
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me/us/them. (Daniel Iverson, 1890-1977)

Spirit of the living God,
Move among us all.
Make us one in heart in mind,
Make us one in love.
Humble, caring, selfless, sharing,
Spirit of the living God,
Fill our lives with love. (not known if also by Daniel Iverson)

Spirit of Faith, Come Down - Charles Wesley | HymnSite.com - Suggested Hymns for day of Pentecost

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LINKS & Articles (external sites open a new window or tab)

Praying in the Spirit - WGBD Steps to Faith No. 20

'Asking Shamelessly for the Holy Spirit' by Roy Hendy (sorry, broken link but browse here) from the CCR 'Goodnews' magazine archives

Excerpts from "Heart Breathings" By Leonard Ravenhill

www.textweek.com/pentecost.htm

Pentecost on Wikipedia | http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Pentecost.htm |

www.crivoice.org/cypentecost.html

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A very wide selection of prayers, readings, miscellaneous, etc. 

Holy Spirit Interactive website

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