A POWERFUL NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT: DAY 7 – THE GIFT OF COUNSEL

(IT CAN BE PRAYED ANYTIME IN THE DAY)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Hymn

1. Come down, O Love divine;
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with your own ardour glowing:
O Comforter, draw near;
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing.

2. Oh, let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming:
and let your glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

3. And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far out pass the power of human telling:
for none can guess God’s grace,
till Love creates a place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

On my knees, I before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You, I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant heareth.” Amen.

SCRIPTURAL READING: Psalm 16:7

MEDITATION

The gift of Counsel belongs to the virtue of prudence. What does it do? The Gift of Counsel enables a person to judge promptly, correctly and intuitively. The Gift of Counsel perfects and elevates, the virtue of prudence. With the gift of counsel, the Holy Spirit speaks, as it were, to the heart and in an instant enlightens a person what to do; just as today’s text from the psalmist expresses: “I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart” (Ps. 16:7). He recognizes the Lord as the one who counsels and directs the heart even in his subconscious (while asleep).

It is the gift that allows us as Christians to be assured that we will act correctly in times of trouble and trial. Through counsel, we can speak without fear in defence of the Christian Faith. Thus, the Catholic Encyclopedia notes, counsel “enables us to see and choose correctly what will help most to the glory of God and to our own salvation.”

For St. Bonaventure, the gift of Counsel acts as a new breath in the conscience, suggesting to it what is licit, what is becoming, what is more fitting for the soul. Aided by this gift, the Christian penetrates the true meaning of gospel values, in particular those expressed in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Mt. 5:7). No wonder the Psalmist expresses: “With Your counsel, You will guide me, and afterwards receive me to glory” (Ps. 73:24)

Let us, therefore, ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of Counsel! Let us ask for it for ourselves and, in particular, for the pastors of the Church, so often called, by the demands of their work, to make arduous and agonizing decisions. Let us ask for it through the intercession of her who, in the litany, is greeted as “Mater Boni Consilii”, Mother of Good Counsel.

Pause for a moment and reflect…

DAY 7 PRAYER

Come, Holy Spirit, creator of all things: come visit our hearts with Your power. Fill with grace, friendly guest, the hearts which You have created. You are called the Consoler, gift from the hand of God, source of life, light, love, and flame, highest good. You are the pledge of sevenfold grace, finger of the Father’s hand, promised us by Him, and You make our tongues speak the truth. Cast light on our senses, pour love into our hearts. Grant our weak bodies strength that they may never grow weary of doing good and grant me the favour I so earnestly seek in this novena (State your request here…) if it be in accordance with Your Holy Will. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS 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 toward 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.

Our Father… Hail Mary…. (Glory be….X7)

LITANY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Divine Essence, one true God, Have mercy on us

Spirit of truth and wisdom, Have mercy on us

Spirit of holiness and justice, Have mercy on us

Spirit of understanding and counsel, Have mercy on us

Spirit of love and joy, Have mercy on us

Spirit of peace and patience, Have mercy on us

Spirit of longanimity and meekness, Have mercy on us

Spirit of benignity and goodness, Have mercy on us

Love substantial of the Father and the Son, Have mercy on us

Love and life of saintly souls, Have mercy on us

Fire ever burning, Have mercy on us

Living water to quench the thirst of hearts, Have mercy on us

From all evil, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all impurity of soul and body, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all gluttony and sensuality, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all attachments to the things of the earth, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all hypocrisy and pretence, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all imperfections and deliberate faults, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From our own will, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From slander, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From deceiving our neighbours, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From our passions and disorderly appetites, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From our inattentiveness to Thy holy inspirations, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From despising little things, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From debauchery and malice, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From the love of comfort and luxury, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From wishing to seek or desire anything other than Thee, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From everything that displeases Thee, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

Most loving Father, forgive us.

Divine Word, have pity on us.

Holy and divine Spirit, leave us not until we are in possession of the Divine Essence, Heaven of heavens.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Send us the divine Consoler.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Fill us with the gifts of Thy Spirit.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Make the fruits of the Holy Spirit increase within us.

V. Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful,

R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created,

R. And Thou shall renew the face of the earth.

Let Us Pray

God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Concluding Meditation/Prayer

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct thy way in truth.

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen.

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, fill our being, guide and direct us; heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour thy dew, Wash the stains of guilt away.  and grant peaceful rest to our bodies tonight, so that we may rise with joy to sing your praise. Amen.

Blessing+

The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Great job praying Day 7! Click here for Day 8 Prayers

Shalom!
Written and Compiled by Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Paroquia Nossa Senhora de Fatima, Vila Sabrina, São Paulo, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com
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PS: Have you prayed your Rosary today?