The Novena to the Holy Spirit
Millions of Catholics throughout the world will begin tomorrow the praying of the most ancient novena of our faith. For nine days, between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost, Catholics for centuries have prayed this great prayer for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts—Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord—were first given to the Apostles at Pentecost and are now given to us. We derive the word “Novena” from the Latin for “nine”. Hence, a novena is a devotion consisting of prayer for nine straight days in which we ask God for the special graces and blessings. Jesus himself told his disciples to pray together and be in constant prayer for the Holy Spirit that would be sent (Acts 1:14). While this novena can be done at any time of the year, it is specifically during these nine days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost that the faithful are encouraged to devote themselves to this prayer in honor of our Lord who asked the apostles to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Provided below are two sample guides that can be used to pray this novena:
SAMPLE ONE (the more traditional version)
SAMPLE TWO (a more contemporary version)
Pray without Ceasing
Jesus told the Parable of the Persistent Widow (18-1-8) to impress upon his listeners the need to “pray always,” and Saint Paul instructed the Thessalonians to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17). This command has created consternation from ancient times as Christians have tried to figure out how to pray constantly while performing the necessities of life, especially working.
One of the desert monks, Abba Lucius, solved this by reciting psalm verses while he weaved palm leaves into baskets, and then placing two of the coins he earned during the day outside his door for anyone in need. Whoever finds the coins, he said, “prays for me while I eat and sleep.” The anonymous 19th century Russian monk who wrote The Way of a Pilgrim repeated the Jesus Prayer over and over until it became as familiar and constant to him as his own heartbeat.
What has proved to be the most satisfactory way to interpret and live this gospel maxim was that described by Saint Augustinein his Letter to the widow Proba, who had asked him for help in knowing how to pray. The resulting instruction on private prayer has become very influential in Christian spirituality. Excerpts are read in the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer book of the Church, during the 29th Week in Ordinary Time.
Augustine says the admonition to “pray without ceasing” does not mean that we must constantly be making petitions to God, who “before we ask him knows what we need,” but that we must strive more and more to cultivate an uninterrupted desire for life with God both now and in eternity, which is the purpose of our existence. This desire will in turn bring our actions into line with the teachings of the gospel, for we will not continue to do what contradicts our heart’s desire.
This desire is not the work of a moment or a day, nor is it something we can do by ourselves, but it requires God’s help day after day. We “exercise our desire through our prayers, so that we may be able to receive what God is preparing to give us.”
De-funding Planned Parenthood?
After the Spring Abbey Message went out, I received a note from a reader objecting to the front page picture. This reader said: “I was surprised and saddened to see your students holding ‘De-fund Planned Parenthood’ signs on the front page of The Abbey Message. I wonder if those students have any idea of the good work done by Planned Parenthood regarding a variety of women’s health issues, especially for women who are poor and disenfranchised—you know, the ones Jesus hung out with. I think you have misinformed your students, by only telling them a small part of the story, i.e., the only part that you wanted them to hear. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed, and Planned Parenthood was not de-funded, and for that, many of us are grateful.”
This blog entry is my response to the reader:
Thank you for your response to the Abbey Message picture. If we never had anything in the paper that anyone could object to, it likely would not be worth printing.
Did you read the editor’s column, “What Would Jesus Do?” Perhaps it provides another view on the difficult matter of knowing how and where to speak out against what is wrong, and how to do so with love. Seldom do we find issues so completely good and pure with no taint of evil, that we can endorse them with no reservations at all. Seldom are there people or issues so depraved that there is no admixture of good in them.
I admit that I have not personally studied and researched the whole Planned Parenthood agenda. I can accept that there likely is much good done by the organization. At the same time, it seems not to be in doubt that one of the MAIN activities of PP is the referral to abortion mills, and the distribution of drugs for chemically inducing abortions. Then there was the scandal (admittedly obtained by devious means) of several PP affiliates going along with requests for abortions made by persons posing as pimps for prostitution rings.
At some point, one has to make a judgment: can I be part of this activity or group, which does some good, but also does great evil? The question could be stated differently, so as not to force the answer: Can I be part of this activity or group, which does a lot of good, but is also involved in some harmful things?
The answer to such questions depends on the individual conscience.
I have no idea how much, if any, information was given to the students who attended the March for Life, regarding the activities of Planned Parenthood. Probably they were given signs to carry, and carried them, without much questioning of the particulars of PP. They DID want to stand up for life, and to oppose the easy taking of life by abortion, and I think that that is a very good thing for these young people, even if they did not understand fully about the signs they carried.
I hope that you and I can agree that every human life is precious and should be protected from womb to tomb. Whether opposition to PP is a good way to further the pro-life agenda is open for discussion. Perhaps you can direct me to helpful information about PP such as might allay my concerns.
The Psalm and The Shepherd
Many people, whether they are Christians or not, are familiar with Psalm 23. Years ago my confrere Father John Walbe, O.S.B., of blessed memory (d. January 13, 1999+), told a parable to me that has spoken volumes over time:
During the early 1960s in a well-to-do Catholic parish in a town of over 60,000 people, there was a gathering in the parish hall/auditorium. The Pastor, a diocesan priest, (who we’ll refer to as Father Thomas), and the Parish Council had organized the gathering which would feature a presentation by Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart stationed in Africa. The Sisters were traveling throughout the United States, in order to raise funds for their missionary work. A sumptuous lunch was provided for the parish gathering, and there would be a reading from the Bible selected by a member of the parish, who would also proclaim the reading to the people. Then Father Thomas would give a short reflection, followed by the final blessing, and the gathering would conclude.
Following the Sisters’ presentation, Father Thomas introduced Harold Bannon, who was both a member of the parish Holy Name Society, and a very well-respected member of both the parish and local community. Mr. Bannon approached the lectern in the auditorium to lively applause. Bannon then proceeded to proclaim Psalm 23 with a bold, resonant eloquence that rivaled any professional orator. When Bannon finished the reading of Psalm 23, he was given an almost two-minute standing ovation!
As the ovation was going on, there appeared one very tall, thinning elderly man moving slowly about the auditorium toward the lectern. Many in the audience exchanged glances at one another, in wonderment at who this stranger was. The man was dressed in a clean pair of blue coveralls, clean white shirt, and an old and worn pair of black loafers that he had shined for the occasion. He looked like a farmer, which seemed even more out of place in this semi-urban environment. Father Thomas noticed the man coming forward, suddenly skipping past the lectern to approach the man. Father Thomas and the man engaged in a brief, cordial exchange, while the audience continued to both applaud Bannon and peer in curiosity toward the front of the auditorium at the stranger, whom no one knew.
The man approached the lectern and introduced himself: “My name is George Henderson, and I have been coming to church here for about three weeks now. I moved to this town, to be close to my second eldest son and his family. My wife, Sue, died one year ago today. Thank you, Father Thomas, and you, my fellow parishoners, for allowin’ me to read. I am much obliged to Y’all.”
Mr. Henderson read the same reading as Harold Bannon had read: Psalm 23. When he had finished, the audience was silent and still. Not the slightest movement, shifting, or sound had occurred among the onlookers. Henderson shook hands with a transfixed Father Thomas, left the lectern and exited the auditorium. Henderson made no eye contact with the people who were gazing at him, some of them spellbound! Henderson continued to move about; slowly, head slightly bowed, eyes averted–not in a guarded or defensive posture–but humbly, calmly. For those who did know George Henderson, humility and a deep inner calm had always come natural to him.
Father Thomas gave a brief reflection on Psalm 23, then following Father’s final blessing, the people began to exit the auditorium and gather outside. The superior for the group of four Missionary Sisters, Sister Lucy, and Father Thomas were conversing when Sister Lucy asked:
“Father, I was struck by the different responses to the readers of the Psalm. Why do you suppose that is?”
Father Thomas tilted his head slightly, reflecting thoughtfully for several seconds, then replied:
“Sister, Mr. Bannon knows the Psalm. Mr. Henderson knows The Shepherd.”
[*All names in this blog are fictional, and purely a product of the imagination.*]
Holy Triduum at the Abbey
There is a word that is used [Triduum] in Catholic circles that can be quite confusing. One of our candidates here at the Abbey said he had never heard of it, whilst another said he had heard if it but didn’t know how to say it. The word is pronounced Trid-u-um or Tri-duum [which a short i] and it comes from the Latin for three days [Tri=three and duum=from the Latin dies meaning day]. It’s your choice how to say it. You can have loads of Triduum services, which are services lasting three days. To distinguish THE principle–high point–three day service for the entire liturgical year (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter), we place the word “Holy” before Triduum to give us “Holy Triduum.” We also refer to it as the “Easter Triduum” and “Paschal Triduum” to denote the same event. There is a long history of the Holy Triduum which you can find HERE.
So, here are a few pictures from the Holy Triduum celebrations at the Abbey. We hope you enjoy this little glimpse into our monastic life:
