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SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE ASCENSION ~ EFFECTS OF THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST

(Read John xv, 26- xvi, 4.)

 

CONSIDER FIRSTLY three effects of the coming of the Holy Spirit foretold by our Lord to the apostles in to-day's gospel. The first was: He shall give testimony of me. That is, the Holy Spirit will illuminate the minds of the apostles, to know the divine mysteries and understand the heavenly doctrines. During the whole three years that the apostles had been in the school of Christ their minds remained so dull, that when He spoke to them openly of His passion they understood not of these things and this word was hid from them. (Luke xviii, 34.) The language of the cross and of suffering so often repeated by the divine Master, was as one unknown to them of which they understood nothing. But on the coming of the Holy Ghost how well they understood the virtue and power of the Cross and the most sublime mysteries: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. (1 Cor. ii, 10.)

APPLICATION:  If you would understand well the teaching of the gospel and penetrate the divine mysteries, earnestly and incessantly beseech of the Holy Spirit to illuminate you with His divine light: Veni, Sancte Spiritus, et emitte coelitus lucis tuae radium.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Thou shall send forth thy spirit, and they shall be created: and thou shalt renew the face of the earth. (Ps. ciii, 30.)

 

CONSIDER SECONDLY  another effect promised to the apostles at the coming of the Holy Spirit: And you shall give testimony of me. Illuminated by the divine Spirit they were to enlighten all nations and the people by the preaching of the gospel, and thus convert them to the faith of Christ. For it is this characteristic of those who are full of the divine Spirit, not to rest content with being good themselves, but to endeavour to lead others also to a better life. Know also that the divine Spirit resembles a river, Rivers of living water shall flow. (John vii, 38.) The Holy Spirit gives Himself, not that He may remain enclosed in the soul of him who receives Him, but that He may flow out for the benefit of all.

APPLICATION:  It is essential then that you be not content with being good yourself, but must strive also to do good to your neighbours. If it be not given to you to do this by preaching the gospel or labouring in the missions, you must do it by your good example, by prayer, by comfort and counsel you give to others. And this river of good must flow not only from your mouth but also from your heart: for if its source is not in your heart, it will avail but little.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  My heart had uttered a good word: I speak my works to the king. (Ps. xliv, 2.)

 

CONSIDER THIRDLY that the testimony which the apostles were to give of Christ in virtue of the Holy Spirit was not to be in word only, but also by the sufferings, persecutions and martyrdom which they bore with invincible patience and joy: And they went from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were accounted worth to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus. (Acts v, 41.) Suffering thus with joy for the honour of Christ, as it was the most convincing proof which the apostles gave of the truth they preached, so it was likewise a most evident sign that they had been armed by the Holy Spirit with virtues and heavenly fortitude.

APPLICATION:   By this proof of suffering you may discern whether you also are clothed with the virtue of the Holy Spirit, which moves hearts not less to endure patiently than to work for the glory of God.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Thou art my patience, O Lord: my hope, O Lord, from my youth. (Ps. lxx, 5.)

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MONDAY AFTER THE ASCENSION ~ MATTHIAS CHOSEN IN PLACE OF JUDAS

He called unto him whom he would himself: and they came to him, And he made that twelve should be with him. (Mark, 13-14.)

 

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that God has need of no man and least of all you. If then you fall away from Him and fail to secure your eternal salvation, He will find another to fill your place, as He found Matthias to fill the apostolate from which Judas fell away. Therefore, hold fast that which thou hast that no man take thy crown. (Apoc. Iii, 11.)

APPLICATION:.  In order then to hold fast your crown, see that you abuse not the graces and favours which God has bestowed upon you. For then you would have just reason to fear that, in consequence of your want of correspondence and your ingratitude, God would deny you those special and efficacious aids which He gives you out of His purely undeserved goodness, and without which you would infallibly be lost. How many there are who consequently fall from an eminence of wisdom, of learning, and even of sanctity and so come to lose their souls.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:. I have cleave to thy testimonies, O Lord: put me not to shame. (Ps. cxviii, 31.)

 

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that Christ Himself did not substitute any one in the place of Judas, as He might have done during the forty days He remained on earth after His resurrection. He left the choice to St Peter, the head of the apostles, and to the Church assembled in the cenacle. This He would do in order to show the tender providence by which He would authoritatively govern the Church through its superiors. Observe too the means which were adopted in the cenacle and which may be reduced to two, viz. union among themselves, all being indifferent and resigned to the good pleasure of heaven, no one ambitioning for himself to the office of apostle, and then prayer or recourse to God: Do thou Lord show whether of these two thou hast chosen. (Acts 1, 24.)

APPLICATION:.  You likewise must use these same means of indifference and recourse to God when you would make and confirm your resolutions.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Unto thee will I cry, O Lord, O my God, be not thou silent to me. Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication when I cry to thee. (Ps. xxvii, 1-2.)

 

CONSIDER THIRDLY that two were proposed to their choice, Barsabas, who was a kinsman of our Blessed Lord and brother to two of the apostles, and who was surnamed the Just because of his virtues, and Matthias. The lot fell upon Matthias and he was numbered with the apostles. (Acts 1, 26.) Barsabas resented not being passed over for one whom he might have deemed his inferior, neither did he fail to fulfill  the part which God demanded of him, acknowledging in his humility his unworthiness of so exalted a position. Neither did Matthias yield to sentiments of pride at seeing himself preferred, but strove all the more to satisfy to the full the obligations now laid upon him, remembering that he had been chosen to fill the place from which Judas had so unhappily fallen.

APPLICATION:   Learn from Barsabas to be resigned when you see yourself neglected for one whom you may regard as your inferior: and from Matthias to keep yourself in humility and in fear when the preference is rather given to you.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  We have rejoiced for the days in which thou hast humbled us; for the years in which we have seen evils. (Ps.lxxxix, 15.)

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TUESDAY AFTER THE ASCENSION ~ PREPARATION FOR THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST

He will give the good Spirit to them that ask him. (Luke xi, 13.)

 

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that the disciples doubted not of the coming of the Holy Ghost Who had been so many times promised them by Our Blessed Lord. They did not however neglect to do all in their power to dispose themselves to receive Him in His fullness, remaining retired in prayer in the cenacle. They understood well that in order to receive those graces which God wished to communicate to us, we on our part must prepare ourselves to receive the.  The better our dispositions are, the more copious will be the gifts of grace which we shall obtain, for God is wont to give according to the measure of our co-operation.

APPLICATION:  You also desire that the Holy Spirit should come into your heart, but the desire is not sufficient with out that which will enable you to merit this grace. Endeavour therefore  to prepare and dispose yourself for His coming as did the apostles.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:. Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels. (Ps. l, 12.)

 

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that the principal preparation of the apostles consisted in remaining in  prayer. All these were preserving with one mind in prayer. (Acts I, 14.) For prayer is the efficacious means to dispose us to obtain the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He will give the good Spirit to them that ask him. (Luke xi, 13.) God has established this law that it is through our prayers that He gives the good gifts which He has promised us. Call upon me and I will deliver thee. (Ps. xlix, 15.) By calling upon God we honour Him, acknowledging Him thereby as the source of all our good: Call upon me, and thou shalt glorify me. Moreover in prayer we exercise many acts of faith, of religion, of humility and of confidence. We also come to have more esteem for His gifts, even as the value of goods is increased by the desire expressed for them by those who would acquire them.

APPLICATION:  What use have you made up to now of this so efficacious means of prayer? At least from this time call upon me. (Jerem. Iii, 4.) At least seek to profit well by prayer during these days of preparing yourself to receive the Holy Spirit.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:.  Restore on to me the joy of thy salvation: and strengthen me with a perfect spirit. (Ps. l, 14.)

 

CONSIDER THIRDLY that the apostles did not cease to pray during all the ten days they abode together in the cenacle, preserving in prayer; and they would have continued to pray longer had the coming of the Holy Spirit been deferred. Neither does it behove us to image that, in order to obtain so great a gift, it will suffice to recite occasionally a Veni, Creator Spiritus, or that God will answer your petitions as a favour immediately they are presented to Him. We ought always to pray and not to faint. (Luke xviii,1.)

APPLICATION:  Understand therefore that God defers to grant you favours , not because He is unwilling to give them, but because He would increase your desire for them by this His delay, and because your repeated acts of homage dispose you to receive them the more copiously. Therefore learn to avail yourself of the delay by multiplying your petitions, constraining God almost by force to give them to you. Be instant in prayer. (Col. Iv, 2.)

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:.  My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God: my tears have been my bread, day and night. (Ps. xli, 3, 4.)

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WEDNESDAY AFTER THE ASCENSION ~ PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING BY CHARITY

Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.. (Matt. xviii, 20.)

 

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that the apostles not only were persevering in prayer but they were with one mind. (Acts I, 14.) They were united in themselves by interior recollection, and united with each other by the bonds of charity. They were united with themselves because all their thoughts, all their desires, and all their longings, were directed to the one end of yearning and pleading for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

APPLICATION:  Such should also be your preparation to receive the Holy Spirit in all the plenitude of His gifts. You should remain not only wholly recollected in prayer; but throughout the occupations of these days you should keep your heart and mind directed towards His coming, by means of constant, fervent aspirations and ejaculations. As the needle of the compass points always towards the Pole, so should all your efforts and your actions at this time be directed to the end of obtaining the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:. Turn again, O God of host. Look down from heaven, and see and visit this vineyard. And perfect the same which thy right hand hath planted. (Ps. lxxix, 15, 16.)

 

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that the Apostles were united among themselves not only in the union of prayer, all asking for the same gift, but were also still more united in the bond of charity: But one heart and one soul. (Acts iv, 32.) This union and this concord with others is the most essential means of obtaining the Holy Spirit. For this divine Spirit is essentially love and the bond of charity, and will not reside in a heart where there is disunion and discord.

AAPPLICATION:  Examine yourself somewhat and see if in your heart there is any want of union with or aversion towards your neighbours. Learn to bear with their defects, strive to accommodate yourself to their tastes where you may rightly do so, and try to preserve peace and charity with all.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. (Ps. cxxxii, 1.)

 

CONSIDER THIRDLY that in order to dispose themselves to receive the Holy Spirit, the apostles remained with Mary the Mother of Jesus. (Acts 1, 14.) They united their supplications with the prayers and the merits of the Blessed Virgin, for they knew that, as it was by these same merits and prayers she had hastened the coming of the divine Word to clothe Himself with human flesh in her womb, still more would she obtain for them the hastening of the coming of the Holy Spirit into their hearts.

APPLICATION:.   Do you also join your prayers with those of the most Holy Virgin in the cenacle. Beg of her to present your requests to the divine Father. Thus will you render them efficacious in obtaining the fullest and most abundant grace of the Holy Spirit.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  O look upon me, and have mercy on me: give thy commands to thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid. (Ps. lxxxv, 16.)

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THURSDAY AFTER THE ASCENSION ~ THE HOLY GHOST OUR TEACHER AND HELPER IN PRAYER

The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things. (John xvi, 26.)

 

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that you have the utmost need of prayer and of petition. But in order that you may be heard you need above all to have humble recourse to the Holy Spirit, Who is the teacher of all good prayer and supplication. Of ourselves we do not know what we should ask for nor how we should ask it. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. (Rom. Viii, 26.) It is the Holy Ghost Who teaches us how and what to ask: The Holy Ghost will teach you all things. (John xiv, 26.)

APPLICATION:  Jesus has given us in the Pater noster the pattern of perfect prayer, but it is the Holy Spirit, Who as a kind teacher suggests to us the manner of making particular requests and adapts them to our capacity and need: He will bring all things to your mind whatsoever I shall have said to you. (John xiv, 26.) Each time therefore that you go to prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to assist and direct you, Veni, Sancte Spiritus, so that your prayer may bear abundant fruit.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Cast me not away from thy face: and take not thy holy spirit from me. (Ps. l, 13.)

 

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that the Holy Spirit not only as a master teaches us to pray, but also helps us to do so. The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. (Rom. Viii, 26.) This help which the Holy Spirit is accustomed to bestow in prayer consists in those lights, in those affections and longings of loving hearts, that are understood by those only who experience them.

APPLICATION:.  Happy are you if you have been able to experience them even in part. Beseech of this most loving Spirit that He will deign to grant you those helps. Without them your prayer will be like a body without a soul, but with them it will be so inspired with life as to enable you to ask for and to obtain all good things.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:.  O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me. (Ps. lxix, 2.)

 

CONSIDER THIRDLY that it belongs to the Holy Spirit not only to direct and help us to pray but also to pray for us as our advocate. He asketh for us with unspeakable groanings. (Rom. Viii, 26.) Jesus Christ is our advocate in heaven at the right hand of the Father. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just. (1 John ii, 1.) The Holy Spirit acts as our advocate here by speaking within us, in the same way as it was said He spoke to the prophets and apostles: It is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. (Matt. x, 20.) So now also He speaks in us and prays for us, when we are at prayer. He himself prayeth for us. Oh how precious and efficacious is that prayer in which the Holy Spirit speaks and pleads with God the Father for us!

APPLICATION:.  But here remember that the Holy Spirit does not enlighten nor help nor speak in the souls of all who pray, but only in those who strive to pray well. He helpeth our infirmities, as St. Paul tells is (ibid.) This shows you that you should do your utmost to pray well, that you should prepare yourself, by being retired, recollected and by seriously applying yourself to prayer. If you do all in your power to pray well in spite of your weakness, the Holy Spirit will be moved to give you His aid and inspire your prayer so that it may be efficacious in obtaining the gifts of heaven, and above all in obtaining the fullness of the same Holy Spirit.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight: the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice. (Ps. cxl, 2.)

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FRIDAY AFTER THE OCTAVE OF THE ASCENSION ~ THE TIME AND PLACE OF THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST

Stay you in the city, till you be endued with power from on high. (Luke xxiv, 49.)

 

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that our Blessed Lord, though He had so often promised His apostles that the Holy Spirit would come to them, would not make known to them the time of His coming. He might have sent Him directly after He ascended into heaven, yet He delayed ten full days before doing so, during which time the disciples remained within the cenacle waiting and praying, without knowing when the Holy Spirit was to come. What a great instruction this to teach indifference, and resignation to the divine Will, as to the time and manner of receiving the gifts of heaven which we desire and ask for. God is the master and will give us His good gifts when He pleases.

APPLICATION:.  Therefore you should endeavour to abandon yourself entirely into His hands, and not allow yourself to be too anxious bout delays, nor render yourself unworthy by impatience. For God well knows the opportune moment wherein to grant you the graces that you ask and desire: If it make and delay wait for it. (Hab. ii, 3.)

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:. With expectation I have waited for the Lord and he was attentive to me. (Ps. xxxix, 2.)

 

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that God chose the day of Pentecost for the coming of the Holy Spirit, on which day He had formerly given to His Hebrew people the laws written on Mount Sinai, This was to denote that, whereas the law given on Sinai was written on tables of stone because it was a law of fear, suited to a people still in a state of servitude, the new law of the gospel on the contrary, which is a law of love, is written by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the faithful, who should observe it not with servile fear but with filial love, seeing that they have been raised to the true sonship of God.

APPLICATION:.  How far do you observe this precept and the counsels of this new law of Jesus Christ? Is it with servile fear or with the love of a son? Ask the Holy Spirit to come and inscribe in your heart the sweet law of love, which will thus make the yoke both lighter for you and more profitable to you.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:.  I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. (Ps. xvii, 2. )

 

CONSIDER THIRDLY that the Holy Spirit was given in the cenacle, and that this was a figure of the Church. The Church then is the ark where alone salvation is to be found, and outside of which as in the days of the flood, there is no safety. Whoever therefore lives in the bosom of the Church as a true son may hope to receive the Holy Spirit, provided he dully disposes himself to receive Him.

APPLICATION:.   We too may take comfort to ourselves from the fact that the Holy Spirit was given, not only to the apostles and to the first disciples, but afterwards to all those also who, converted by the Apostles, embraced the faith of Christ. God is not a respecter of persons. But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh justice is acceptable to him. So says St. Peter (Acts x, 34, 35).

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:.  Blessed are thy that dwell in thy house, O Lord, they shall praise thee for ever and ever. (Ps. lxxxiii, 5.)

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WHITSUN EVE ~THE HOLY GHOST SENT BY JESUS CHRIST.

If I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send him to you. (John xvi, 7.)

 

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that in the same way as the Divine Father in His boundless goodness gave His only Son to the world, He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, so likewise at Pentecost in the excess of His love He willed to give the person of the Holy Spirit, by reason of the merits and the prayers of Christ, Who completed and perfected the work of our redemption by the coming of this most Divine Spirit.

APPLICATION:.  How far do you endeavour to correspond to this liberality and goodness of the Divine Father? How far do you show your self generous and ready to be employed in all that is for His glory and good pleasure? In giving you the Son and the Holy Spirit, God has given Himself to you entirely, for He differs from them not in substance but only in person. Ought you not then in mere gratitude to give Him your whole self, and employ yourself entirely in His service?

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God. (Ps. lxxxiii, 3.)

 

CONSIDER SECONDLY  how we are bound to thank our Lord for having obtained for us by His merits and His prayers the Holy Spirit in order that by His gifts our darkness might be enlightened and our weakness strengthened. Christ indeed has taught us His heavenly doctrines, but if the Holy Spirit does no give us light and understanding we ourselves cannot comprehend them, even as the Apostles before Pentecost did not understand them. Christ has given us examples of sublime virtue so that we too may act accordingly, but without the grace of the Holy Spirit we should not know how to move one step in the imitation of Him. Christ has raised up the standard of the cross to animate His followers to despise the pleasures of this life and to embrace the difficulties of suffering: but we need to be strengthened for these labours by the Holy Spirit.

APPLICATION:  Thank our Blessed Lord that He has merited for us this great gift which is so necessary for our weakness and for our miseries, and on your part do all you can to obtain it.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me. For thou art my strength and my refuge. (Ps. xxx, 3, 4.)

 

CONSIDER THIRDLY that our Blessed Lord gave us the Holy Spirit in order that all these good gifts might be produced in us: that he may abide with you (John xiv, 16.), that the Holy Spirit might dwell in our soul even as the soul dwells in the body. The soul gives life to the body by dwelling in it, and so animates it as to give it strength to move, and to effect in union with it all that is proper to man. Thus the Holy Spirit abiding within us vivifies us by His sanctifying grace, and by His actual gifts and inspirations strengthens and moves us to perform, in union with Him, acts of virtue suitable to man raised to the supernatural life of grace.

APPLICATION:   Not less than the difference between a living and a dead body, is that between one who is animated by the Holy Spirit and one who is not. Beseech therefore as earnestly as you can this most Divine Spirit to come into your soul: Veni, Sancte Spiritus. In this way will you be changed into another man (1 Kings x, 6.), as were also the apostles.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  For who is God but the Lord? Or who is God but our God? God who hath girt me with strength; and made my way blameless. (Ps. xvii, 32, 33.)

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