POWER PULSE

( In Preparation for the Feast of Pentecost)

DAY NINE: HOLY SPIRIT – THE GIVER OF GIFTS

 

REFLECT

 

The Holy Spirit is the giver of Gifts.

> The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord

 

A spiritual gift is an ability granted by God, which helps the person to grow in holiness and effectively serve the people of God.

 

We need to pray constantly to receive these gifts of the Holy Spirit…

WISDOM:  It is the perfection of faith. Through wisdom, one comes to value those things properly, which we believe through faith

>> Wisdom detaches us from the world and makes us relish and love the things of heaven!

 

UNDERSTANDING: Understanding is the ability to grasp and understand, in a limited way, the essence of Divine Truths.

>> While Wisdom is the ‘desire’ to contemplate heavenly things, Understanding helps us to penetrate to the core of revealed truths (of course, in a limited way!)

 

COUNSEL: Counsel is the gift of supernatural prudence.

>> Counsel allows us to understand the promptings of the Holy Spirit and to judge rightly, what we should do in a particular circumstance.

 

FORTITUDE: Fortitude gives us the strength and the courage to be strong in the face of difficulties

>> Fortitude is the virtue that makes us to overcome fear and to remain firm in our will, even in the midst of obstacles

 

KNOWLEDGE: Knowledge enables us to ascertain God’s purpose in our lives and His reason for placing us in our particular circumstances. 

>> Knowledge is the gift to discern effectively between the impulses of temptation and the inspirations of grace.

 

PIETY: It is the virtue by which a person is disposed to render worship and service to God, in the way He deserves.

>> Piety is an instinctive affection for God that makes us desire to honour and worship Him

 

FEAR OF THE LORD: This is virtue that desires not to offend God, even in the slightest of ways possible

>> Fear of the Lord comes, not because of the Lord’s punishment, but arises from an immense love for Him – wanting to respect the Lord and live a life pleasing to the Lord always  

 

 

EXAMINE:

Can I pray to the Holy Spirit to bless me with His Gifts…?

… to help me to grow in holiness of life and live a Christ-like life

… to help me to use these gifts to lead others to sanctity in Christ

 

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit, the Giver of Gifts, fill me with your seven-fold gifts.

 

 

May Your Gifts…

>> help me to understand the Divine mysteries and live them faithfully in my life

>> cause me to trust in Your Providence, and to bring many more to the Love of God

 

Fill me with your gifts… enable me to walk with You… inspire me to lead others to You, Amen!

 

Come Holy Spirit…Come into our hearts… and renew us, in your mighty love and fire!

May God Bless us!

POWER PULSE

( In Preparation for the Feast of Pentecost)

DAY EIGHT: HOLY SPIRIT – THE ONE WHO UNITES

 

REFLECT

One of the great tragedies that we encounter in our modern world is that of “division”

 

> Communities “split”…

>> Societies get “divided”…  

>>> Hearts get “separated”…

… on the basis of caste, colour, creed, language etc

 

The evil spirit of “divisiveness” is rampant everywhere!

 

It is the Holy Spirit Who alone can unite us and help us to cast away this negative force.

>> St Paul speaks of “strive to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3)

 

How does the Holy Spirit unite us?

>> He unites us to Christ and to be persons oriented to do the Will of God ( Eph 4:1ff)

>> He unites us to one another by helping to know each other as “members of the One Body” ( 1 Cor 12:13)

 

 

EXAMINE:

Can I seek the assistance of “Holy Spirit  – The Unifier”…?

… to help me to be more united to the Will and Ways of the Lord

… to help me to accept other persons as “members of Christ’s body” and to go beyond peripheral dimensions of life, to live in peace and unity

 

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit, the One Who unites us to Christ and to all people, cast away the forces of evil that cause division in our lives.

 

Unite us…

>> with the Will of the Father, so that, like Jesus, we too may always work for the growth of the Kingdom and the glory of God

>> to see beyond aspects of “division” and instead to build relationships on commonalities and thus move from being “advocates of division” to be “agents of unity”

 

Unite us in Your love… bring us together to enjoy peace and harmony… join our hearts in loving fellowship, Amen!

 

 

Come Holy Spirit…Come into our hearts… and renew us, in your mighty love and fire!

May God Bless us!

POWER PULSE

( In Preparation for the Feast of Pentecost)

DAY SIX: HOLY SPIRIT – THE COMFORTER

 

REFLECT:

Life is very often a roller-coaster – of emotions, of circumstances, in relationships

>> There are days when things seem to be so good and fine

>> But there are also many days when life seems so bitter, harsh and even unfair

 

This is more so, when one tries to live an honest and a genuine Christian Life – following the teachings and commands of the Lord.

>> Therefore the Lord promised to send “Holy Spirit, the Comforter” (Jn 16:7) to strengthen us and keep us reassured and consoled.

 

The word “Comforter” would mean…

… the One Who runs to our side and picks us up

… in legal terms, the One Who would aid or counsel for the defense

 

The Holy Spirit is our sure assurance of Comfort…

… strengthening us in our moments of crisis, confusions, calamities and uncertainties

… lifting our dropping spirits, raising our falling hearts and energizing our tiring minds

 

 

EXAMINE:

Can I truly invite The Holy Spirit to “be the Comforter of my life”…?

… banking on His power in my weaknesses, failures and helplessness

… drawing courage when everything seems lost and I experience a lot of pain in life

 

 

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit, the Mighty Comforter, help me to depend on You, in my moments of struggle and sadness.

 

Comfort me …

>> with new vigour and hope – when it gets difficult to continue with the tasks entrusted to me, with

>> with enthusiasm and energy – when I fail to be understood by people and when situations turn hostile to me

 

Console me with Your gentleness… empower me with Your peace… cheer me up with Your love, Amen!

 

 

Come Holy Spirit…Come into our hearts… and renew us, in your mighty love and fire!

May God Bless us!

POWER PULSE

( In Preparation for the Feast of Pentecost)

DAY FIVE: HOLY SPIRIT – HELPS TO UNDERSTAND DIVINE MYSTERIES

 

REFLECT:

Jesus, during His ministry prayed: “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, and revealed them to mere babes” (Mt 11: 25)

 

The mysteries of God are too lofty to be grasped and understood

 

But the Lord assures that the Holy Spirit, in the right moments, will reveal to us the mysteries of the Divine – as much needed for us to know.

 

There are innumerable occasions when we don’t understand the ways of God…

… times when the promises of God seem to be far from being fulfilled

… times when blessings of God seem to be evading us, even though we seem to be doing all right

… times when the Scripture goes beyond our grasp

 

But the Holy Spirit blesses us with understanding…

… revealing the meanings of the mysteries of life and of Divinity

… opening our eyes to understand God’s Word in the Holy Bible

 

 

EXAMINE:

Can I intercede to The Holy Spirit to “understand Divine Mysteries ” …?

… Intercede to get greater insights  of the Word of God and live It faithfully in my life

… Intercede to understand the Divine mysteries and to live our Christian life with greater conviction

 

 

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit, the One Who blesses with the understanding into the Divine mysteries…

 

Help me …

>> to have a desire to understand deeper the mysteries of God and to live them with certainty in my life

… to grow in my love for the Word of God and to believe and practise it, with sincerity and passion

 

Fill me with your understanding… help me to know You better… make me Love and Live in You more.. Amen!

 

Come Holy Spirit…Come into our hearts… and renew us, in your mighty love and fire!

May God Bless us!

POWER PULSE

( In Preparation for the Feast of Pentecost)

DAY FOUR: HOLY SPIRIT – INTERCEDES AND PRAYS FOR US

 

REFLECT:

Prayer is an act of intimacy with God.

>> It is being with the Lord – a relationship

 

St Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, “the Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness, for we do not know we how to pray as we ought to ” (Rom 8:26)

 

There are many moments when we find it difficult to pray…

… there is often dryness or a sense of emptiness

… there is often an urge to not pray or just “not feel” like praying

… there is sometimes a lot of distraction, dissatisfaction or disillusionment in prayer

 

But the Holy Spirit comes to our aid…

… praying for us

… interceding for us

 

 

It is the Holy Spirit who “helps us to pray and intercedes for us”…

… He strengthens our prayer-moments when we find it hard to pray ( Lk 22:43)

… He helps us to pray according to the Will of God (Rom 8:29)

 

EXAMINE:

Can I allow The Holy Spirit to “help me to pray” …?

… Allow Him to intercede and pray for me, even if I am going through dryness in prayer

… Allow Him to teach me the different ways of praying and being in His presence

 

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit, the One Who helps me to pray and intercedes for me, strengthen me to grow in my love for the Lord

 

Help me …

>> to know that prayer is “being in the presence of the Lord” and goes beyond words and feelings

>> to let go of my pride, prejudices and sinful tendencies, to grow deeper in my prayer life

 

Mould me in Your presence… inspire me to grow in love for the Lord… purify me in love, Amen!

 

 

Come Holy Spirit…Come into our hearts… and renew us, in your mighty love and fire!

May God Bless us!