First Prelude: Behold, with lively faith, the Supper Room at the solemn moment of the descent of the Holy Ghost.
Second Prelude: O Holy Spirit, Who with infinite love desirest to impart Thyself to me, incite in me an ardent longing for Thy advent and renew my interior by Thy all-powerful grace.
First Point
The Descent of the Holy Ghost
See the august assembly of the disciples in the Supper Room. How fervently they pray, their faces aglow with the ardor of their desire, their hearts raised to heaven! They await the fulfillment of the promises of their beloved Master. Their desire increases at every moment. In particular, behold Mary, the humble Mother of God, the sublime sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. Under her watchful eye the zeal of the disciples finds nourishment in the ardor of her loving, maternal heart. “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.” Thus the Holy Ghost, the third person of the Blessed Trinity, announces His coming by means of glorious and majestic signs. Fiery tongues descend upon the Apostles, to designate the marvelous effects which the Holy Ghost would produce in their hearts. The hour is at hand when the fire is to be kindled which Jesus had promised to cast on the earth. The Spirit of Love, the eternal uncreated flame descends from heaven, to cleanse the earth of the dross of sin, to illumine the minds of men with supernatural light, to inflame their will to love of God and of neighbor, to raise their hearts to heaven despising earthly things, that so the face of the earth may be renewed.
We, too, by virtue of the promises of Christ, are justified in confidently imploring a generous share of the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Let us be constant in fervent entreaties and fiery affections, crying to heaven: “O Holy Ghost, deprive us not of Thy sanctifying presence: forget our unworthiness; a contrite and humble heart, Thou wilt not despise! Let us, too, draw from the abundance of graces Thou didst on this day shower upon the whole Church.”
What will I do to participate to the fullest extent in the effects of the graces of the Holy Ghost?
Second Point
The Miraculous Transformation Wrought by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues.”
Thus St. Luke describes the wonderful transformation that had been effected in the Apostles. From timid, inconstant, sinful, ignorant men they were changed into men of marvelous intelligence, of fortitude and perfection, who were filled with divine love. In a single instant they comprehended all that their Divine Master had taught them during the three years of His public ministry, which they, however, with their own minds could not understand, and as Jesus Himself had said, could not then bear. Courageously they now threw open the doors which they had closed for fear of the Jews and loudly proclaimed the gospel which, according to the promise of Christ, should be preached to the whole world, and which has come down to us with all its graces and blessings.
Render thanks to the Holy Ghost and deem yourself fortunate in being a child of the Church, which has preserved this treasure for us inviolate. Rejoice, further, that the Holy Ghost continues to work similar prodigies even in our day, though He does not appear in the form of fiery tongues. Daily and hourly He continues to regenerate the face of the earth by raising those spiritually dead to a life of grace; by transforming sinners into just, and imperfect souls into saints. Who can estimate the wonders of grace that He effects in countless hearts? He comes when and in what manner it pleases Him, but ordinarily His graces are proportioned to our fidelity. Those who faithfully heed His inspirations will advance from virtue to virtue, and strengthened by the grace of the Holy Ghost will walk the path of perfection with joy and ease. The Holy Ghost will make of them, as He did of the Apostles, instruments of His mercy that they may transmit the peace of their own soul to many unhappy hearts, vitiated by the spirit of the world and tortured by an evil spirit.
Should the Holy Ghost not long since have transformed me into a humble, unselfish, zealous religious if I had faithfully followed His inspirations?
Affections: Come, Holy Spirit, with the plenitude of Thy graces, I conjure Thee by the miracles Thou didst work on this day—come and transform my tepidity into zeal, my weakness into strength, my natural affections into divine sentiments. Thou art a consuming fire and canst in a moment efface all my faults—come, my heart is ready and longs for Thy salutary influence! Give me courage and perseverance to labor at sanctifying self that I may attain the degree of perfection to which Thy infinite mercy has called me. Grant a generous share of Thy graces also to the successors of the Apostles, our Holy Father, all Bishops, Priests and all ministers of the gospel; set their hearts aglow with the fire of Thy divine love and holy zeal to announce the gospel to all nations and to lead those souls that have gone astray back to the bosom of Holy Church. Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Resolution: I will be recollected in spirit, attentive to the inspirations of the Holy Ghost and docile to His divine guidance.
Spiritual Bouquet: “Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love!”
Prayer: Our Father…
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