A Concord Pastor Comments: Praying 10 minutes today: Novena for Pentecost

Over this week, we'll be using a novena for our Praying 10 minutes a day. (After Pentecost Sunday, May 27, we'll return to the usual format.) The oldest novena is the prayer of the first disciples (Mary, the apostles and other believers) from the time Jesus ascended to his Father (40 days after Easter) to the feast of Pentecost. These nine days are a time for us to pray for the coming of the Spirit upon the Church and upon each of us. Each day of the novena you will find a post with scripture and prayer for that day.

Praying 10 minutes today...

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 9

Find a quiet time and place to pray...

take a few deep breaths...

be still and know that God is near..

A word to reflect on...

The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold,
his searching glance is on humankind.

The LORD searches the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence he hates.
For the LORD is just, he loves just deeds;
the upright shall see his face.
Psalm 11:4, 5 , 7

For reflection...

• Do I live as one whose every moment,
whose every word and deed
   is blessed by God's watchful eye?

• As quick as I am to judge others,
    do I also attend to my own words and deeds
       to see that they're upright in the Lord's eyes?

• Do I work for peace in my home? in my parish?
      in my neighborhood? at work? in the world?
   Do I take care that no violence colors my words?
      my politics? my grudges and resentments?
   Am I entertained by violence?

• Do I seek to do no one harm
      in thought, word or deed?

• Do I call on the Spirit for the courage I need
     to speak against violence
         and especially violence against the poor and marginalized?

• What shall I pray for the Church today?
I will pray for the Church to preach the Gospel's peace,
         the peace that only Christ can give...
      I will pray for the Church to look upon all persons as God does:
         with reverence, affection, charity and truth...
      I will pray for the Church to do what is just,
         to love what is good and to walk humbly before the throne of God...

• The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (as they are named in the Rite of Confirmation) include: wisdom... the spirit of understanding and right judgment... courage... the spirit of knowledge and reverence... and the spirit of wonder and awe in God's presence...

For which of these gifts will I pray today?

Let us pray:

Come, Holy Spirit

to this time of prayer, this quiet time

and in the stillness, let me know your presence and your power...
Give us wisdom to choose the way of peace...
Give us courage to find and follow
    the non-violent path...
Watch over those in harm's way,
   those who serve and protect us with their lives...
Teach us to be just in our words and deeds
    that others might find in them the beauty of God's face...
Harvest within and among us the fruits of your presence:
    love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
       goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Give us the gifts we need
   to be faithful to the Gospel, to the Church and to one another...

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of your people

and kindle in us the fire of your love...

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth...

(Look to the top of the sidebar and choose one of the 24 songs on the widget as part of your 10 minutes of prayer today...)