Opening Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful! Come, Holy Spirit and “Refresh my heart in Christ” (Philem20).
Like the apostles, I am awaiting your coming by devoting myself to prayer (cfr.Acts1:14). May these days dispose my heart to receive you, as the apostles received you in the Upper Room and then set out to manifest your greatness “…to the end of the earth (Acts1:8).
In a special way I ask that you help me with this particular intention: ______. Please fill my soul with all that I need.
Come Holy Spirit! Rush like a mighty wind into my heart and appear like blazing fire within my soul (cfr.Acts2:2-3)! Amen.

Reflection

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature…. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law…Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Gal5:16-25)

When someone allows another person into his life, either for good or bad, that person will have an influence on his life and in some way change it. Life in the Spirit is transforming. When we live by the Spirit (Gal5:16) we are allowing a real person into our heart, who will ultimately have a real transforming influence on our lives.

The person living in the Spirit is one who “keeps step with the Spirit” (cfr.Gal5:25). He is a person living “…in accordance with the Spirit…” and his mind is “…set on what the Spirit desires” (Rm8:5). The Spirit leads him into the things of God, which are the things of love. “Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil4:8).

The Spirit’s gentle hand begins to cultivate in his soul its fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal5:22-23). These fruits strengthen his soul, thus shielding him from gratifying “the desires of the sinful nature” (Gal5:16) and stir up within him the contrary desires of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love and his mission is to guide us in choosing the paths of love.  When one lives in the Spirit, he hears the Spirit’s soft whispers in his heart. He finds the Spirit seeking to convince him of the truth of love (cfr.Jn16:8). The Holy Spirit bids him to live according to his ways which are the ways of God, who is love. With the Spirit urging him along the ways of love, his patterns of thinking are transformed according to love and then his patterns of action are transfigured into love. He becomes love. Life in the Spirit is life lived loving.

Concluding Petitions to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit and inflame my heart!
Come, Counselor from on High and lead me into the truth!
Come, Spirit of Holiness and make me holy!
Come, Spirit of Love and teach me to love!
Holy Spirit, strengthen within me the gift of wisdom.
Holy Spirit, strengthen within me the gifts of knowledge and understanding.
Holy Spirit, strengthen within me the gifts of counsel and piety.
Holy Spirit, strengthen within me the gifts of fortitude and fear of the Lord.
Holy Spirit, bear within me the fruits of charity and joy.
Holy Spirit, bear within me the fruits of peace and patience.
Holy Spirit, bear within me the fruits of kindness and goodness.
Holy Spirit, bear within me the fruits of generosity and gentleness.
Holy Spirit, bear within me the fruits of faithfulness and modesty.
Holy Spirit, bear within me the fruits of self-control and chastity.

Spirit of God, may your power of mercy and love fill me and lead me deeper into the mystery of our Lord’s Heart. Come Holy Spirit and create within me a new heart!
Amen.

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