So what's a Pentecost Novena?

Art: Gates Dupont

Beginning Friday, May 10, you'll find a daily post as part of a Novena for Pentecost.   Here's a little background to help you understand what we'll be doing.


What's Pentecost?
The Jewish feast of Shavout occurs 50 days after Passover and it was on this day that Christians believe the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles of the risen Jesus.  Jews still celebrate Shavout and Christians still celebrate Pentecost but because their calendars differ, Passover and Easter have different dates each year, as do Shavout (5/14/13) and Pentecost (5/18/13).  On the Christian calendar, Pentecost Sunday is the 50th and last day of the Easter Season.

What's a Novena?  Why a Pentecost Novena?
A novena is a series of prayers that are said for nine straight days. The book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us (Chapters 1 and 2) that after Jesus' death and resurrection he appeared to his disciples for 40 days and then ascended into heaven.  Before his ascension, Jesus promised that "in a few days" the Holy Spirit would come upon them and empower them to serve as witnesses to his life and message.  After the Ascension the apostles and others gathered in prayer in Jerusalem and 9 days later the Holy Spirit came upon them.  So, the very first novena consisted of the early disciples' prayer over the 9 days between the Ascension and Pentecost.

What will we pray for in the Pentecost Novena?
 At Confirmation we pray for God to send the Holy Spirit upon the candidates and to give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence and the spirit of wonder and awe in God's presence.  The gifts we receive at Confirmation sometimes go unopened and unused for years and years.  Our Novena for Pentecost will refresh our memory of those gifts and reopen them for us.

What will the Novena prayers be like?
The prayer each day will be very simple: something like the regular Pause for Prayer and the occasional Praying 10 Minutes Today.
• You'll be invited to listen to a song to help you settle down and find a prayerful place in your mind and heart.
• There will be a short verse from the bible to reflect on.
• There will be a brief description of one of the gifts of the Spirit, followed by a few questions to stir your reflection.
• There will be a short prayer to the Holy Spirit.
• Today's Take-Away: a thought to carry through the day.

Don't be afraid!
Don't let the words "novena" or "Pentecost" scare you away!  If you already stop here to pray every day or just once in a while, spend a few minutes with these special prayers over the 9 days between now and Pentecost.  This is all about gifts and there will be presents here with your name on them!

Here's a widget with the 29 songs you can choose from each day to set the mood for prayer.  Some titles repeat because I've included different musical versions of the same songs.  Enjoy! (The same widget will be at the top of the side bar through Pentecost.)



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PENTECOST NOVENA: Day 2, for SATURDAY, June 4

Image: DownEastStainedGlass

This Pentecost Novena post is for Saturday, June 4.  Each day's post will include: a scripture verse drawn from the day's liturgy; an intention for a particular group; and the novena prayer based on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost Novena - Day 2

To enter into a spirit of prayer... 

Listen to one of the fifteen songs found on the widget at the top of the sidebar: Songs for Pentecost Novena

Scripture of the day...

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

John 16:23b-28

For reflection: I have my own ideas about what I need to make my joy complete but I wonder... what does God see that I need to complete my joy?  How do I need the help of the Holy Spirit to see, to find, to embrace the joy that God wants for me, the joy God is offering me?
 

Today's Intention

Let us pray today for the poor...
May the Holy Spirit deepen and sustain their faith in the face of want and may that same Spirit move us who have so much more than we need to be generous in sacrifice and service.

Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit,

once more fill my heart

with the fire and power of your gifts.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill up wisdom's lamp,

come enlighten my mind and my will.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the way: help me see and embrace

all that God has revealed.

Come, Holy Spirit:

with knowledge of truth,

brand my mind and my heart with God's Word.

Come, Holy Spirit,

my beacon of counsel

for judgments both prudent and pure.

Come, Holy Spirit

and kindle my courage

to do what is right, what is just.

Come, Holy Spirit

and stoke my desire

to humble myself before God.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the flame of your presence

and draw me to reverence and prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill my heart with your gifts

and my soul with the breath of your peace.

Come, Holy Spirit,

to the Father's love draw me

through my, Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Postlude: You might close your time of prayer with another song from the menu on the sidebar...
Pentecost Novena 2011 Daily
 
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PENTECOST NOVENA: Day 3, SUNDAY, June 5

Image: StainedGlassPatterns

This Pentecost Novena post is for Sunday, June 5.  Each day's post will include: a scripture verse drawn from the day's liturgy; an intention for a particular group; and the novena prayer based on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost Novena - Day 3

To enter into a spirit of prayer... 

Listen to one of the fifteen songs found on the widget at the top of the sidebar: Songs for Pentecost Novena

Scripture of the day...

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ..."

John 17:1-11a

For reflection:  How well do I know God?  How well do I know Jesus?  Do I work at deepening my knowledge of God and of his Son, Jesus? How might the Holy Spirit be drawing me to deepen my knowledge of the Lord? How might I be more open to the Spirit's work in me?


Today's Intention

Let us pray today for those who have been abused...
May the Holy Spirit heal their painful memories and refresh their minds and hearts with a renewal of faith and trust. May the Spirit's grace mend what has been broken and restore what has been lost.

Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit,

once more fill my heart

with the fire and power of your gifts.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill up wisdom's lamp,

come enlighten my mind and my will.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the way: help me see and embrace

all that God has revealed.

Come, Holy Spirit:

with knowledge of truth,

brand my mind and my heart with God's Word.

Come, Holy Spirit,

my beacon of counsel

for judgments both prudent and pure.

Come, Holy Spirit

and kindle my courage

to do what is right, what is just.

Come, Holy Spirit

and stoke my desire

to humble myself before God.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the flame of your presence

and draw me to reverence and prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill my heart with your gifts

and my soul with the breath of your peace.

Come, Holy Spirit,

to the Father's love draw me

through my, Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Postlude: You might close your time of prayer with another song from the menu on the sidebar...

Pentecost Novena 2011 Daily

 
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PENTECOST NOVENA: First Day, Friday, June 3

Image: Monastery Icons

The Pentecost Novena begins on Friday, June 3.  Each day's post will include: a scripture verse drawn from the day's liturgy; an intention for a particular group; and the novena prayer based on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost Novena - Day 1

To enter into a spirit of prayer... 

Listen to one of the fifteen songs found on the widget at the top of the sidebar: Songs for Pentecost Novena

Scripture of the day...

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,

while the world rejoices;

you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.

When a woman is in labor, 
she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;

but when she has given birth to a child,

she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy

that a child has been born into the world.

So you also are now in anguish.

But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,

and no one will take your joy away from you.

On that day you will not question me about anything.

Amen, amen, I say to you,

whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”

John 16:20-23


For reflection: Through what tears and grief, what trials, do I need the help of the Holy Spirit to lead me to joy?  What do I need to ask the Father in Jesus' name? Do I trust that the Father will give me what I truly need?


Today's Intention

Let us pray today for all God's people...  
May the Holy Spirit open us, one and all,  to the dignity and beauty in which each of us has been created and to the gifts each of us has been given that we might serve one another and give glory to God.

Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit,

once more fill my heart

with the fire and power of your gifts.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill up wisdom's lamp,

come enlighten my mind and my will.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the way: help me see and embrace

all that God has revealed.

Come, Holy Spirit:

with knowledge of truth,

brand my mind and my heart with God's Word.

Come, Holy Spirit,

my beacon of counsel

for judgments both prudent and pure.

Come, Holy Spirit

and kindle my courage

to do what is right, what is just.

Come, Holy Spirit

and stoke my desire

to humble myself before God.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the flame of your presence

and draw me to reverence and prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill my heart with your gifts

and my soul with the breath of your peace.

Come, Holy Spirit,

to the Father's love draw me

through my, Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Postlude: You might close your time of prayer with another song from the menu on the sidebar...
Pentecost Novena 2011 Daily
 
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PENTECOST NOVENA: Day 8, FRIDAY, June 10

Image: GaithersburgNazarene

This Pentecost Novena post is for Friday, June 10.  Each day's post will include: a scripture verse drawn from the day's liturgy; an intention for a particular group; and the novena prayer based on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost Novena - Day8

To enter into a spirit of prayer... 

Listen to one of the fifteen songs found on the widget at the top of the sidebar: Songs for Pentecost Novena

Scripture of the day...

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,
he said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

John 21:15-19

For reflection: Imagine Peter's dismay and distress when the Lord had to ask three times, "Do you love me?"  The Lord asks us, too, if we love him...  Does the love we profess so easily, match our care for his flock all around us?  The Spirit moves us to love the Lord in one another. Where, today, are  his lambs waiting for us to feed them? his sheep waiting for us to tend them?


Today's Intention

Let us pray today for those who struggle in their faith...
May the Holy Spirit strengthen the faith of those who doubt, deepen the faith of those who have lost trust and refresh the faith of those who have wandered from it.  May the same Spirit bind us, brothers and sisters in Christ, in the faith that gives us life and hope.

Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit,

once more fill my heart

with the fire and power of your gifts.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill up wisdom's lamp,

come enlighten my mind and my will.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the way: help me see and embrace

all that God has revealed.

Come, Holy Spirit:

with knowledge of truth,

brand my mind and my heart with God's Word.

Come, Holy Spirit,

my beacon of counsel

for judgments both prudent and pure.

Come, Holy Spirit

and kindle my courage

to do what is right, what is just.

Come, Holy Spirit

and stoke my desire

to humble myself before God.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the flame of your presence

and draw me to reverence and prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill my heart with your gifts

and my soul with the breath of your peace.

Come, Holy Spirit,

to the Father's love draw me

through my, Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Postlude: You might close your time of prayer with another song from the menu on the sidebar...
Pentecost Novena 2011 Daily
 
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PENTECOST NOVENA: Day 4, MONDAY, June 6

Image: AquinasAndMore

This Pentecost Novena post is for Monday, June 6.  Each day's post will include: a scripture verse drawn from the day's liturgy; an intention for a particular group; and the novena prayer based on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost Novena - Day 4

To enter into a spirit of prayer... 

Listen to one of the fifteen songs found on the widget at the top of the sidebar: Songs for Pentecost Novena

Scripture of the day...

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

John 16:29-33

For reflection: Where do I seek peace?  in the Lord?  in the world? in both? How do my troubles disturb my peace in the Lord?  How does my peace in the Lord give me strength in the trials I face?  Where do I find the courage to live in peace in difficult times? How might the Holy Spirit lead me to the peace I seek?


Today's Intention

Let us pray today for those who minister in the Church...
May the Holy Spirit come with gifts of counsel, wisdom and courage for all who minster to God's people. May the same Spirit nurture in our ministers a piety that humbly reverences God's presence in his people.

Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit,

once more fill my heart

with the fire and power of your gifts.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill up wisdom's lamp,

come enlighten my mind and my will.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the way: help me see and embrace

all that God has revealed.

Come, Holy Spirit:

with knowledge of truth,

brand my mind and my heart with God's Word.

Come, Holy Spirit,

my beacon of counsel

for judgments both prudent and pure.

Come, Holy Spirit

and kindle my courage

to do what is right, what is just.

Come, Holy Spirit

and stoke my desire

to humble myself before God.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the flame of your presence

and draw me to reverence and prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill my heart with your gifts

and my soul with the breath of your peace.

Come, Holy Spirit,

to the Father's love draw me

through my, Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Postlude: You might close your time of prayer with another song from the menu on the sidebar...
Pentecost Novena 2011 Daily

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PENTECOST NOVENA: Day 6, WEDNESDAY, June 8

Image: InnerWindows

This Pentecost Novena post is for Wednesday, June 8.  Each day's post will include: a scripture verse drawn from the day's liturgy; an intention for a particular group; and the novena prayer based on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost Novena - Day 6

To enter into a spirit of prayer... 

Listen to one of the fifteen songs found on the widget at the top of the sidebar: Songs for Pentecost Novena

Scripture of the day...

And now I commend you to God
and to that gracious word of his that can build you up
and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated.
I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
You know well that these very hands
have served my needs and my companions.
In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort
we must help the weak,
and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said,
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Acts 20:28-38

For reflection:  What in my life need building up?  How is the grace of  God working to build me up?  What gracious word of God seeks to root itself in my heart?  How might I welcome the Holy Spirit's working in shaping and nurturing the person God calls me to be?  


Today's Intention

Let us pray today for the young...
May the Holy Spirit fill the hearts of our young people with faith and love and knowledge of God; may the same Spirit build up our youth into a new generation of Christ's body to serve the poor through the gospel of peace.

Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit,

once more fill my heart

with the fire and power of your gifts.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill up wisdom's lamp,

come enlighten my mind and my will.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the way: help me see and embrace

all that God has revealed.

Come, Holy Spirit:

with knowledge of truth,

brand my mind and my heart with God's Word.

Come, Holy Spirit,

my beacon of counsel

for judgments both prudent and pure.

Come, Holy Spirit

and kindle my courage

to do what is right, what is just.

Come, Holy Spirit

and stoke my desire

to humble myself before God.

Come, Holy Spirit,

light the flame of your presence

and draw me to reverence and prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill my heart with your gifts

and my soul with the breath of your peace.

Come, Holy Spirit,

to the Father's love draw me

through my, Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Postlude: You might close your time of prayer with another song from the menu on the sidebar...
Pentecost Novena 2011 Daily
 
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