Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/562



Indulgence of 7  days. — Pius IX.,  March  12,  1857.

Pope Leo XIII.,  May  9,  1897,  decreed  that  a  novena  to  the Holy Ghost  should  be  made  every  year  in  preparation  for  the Feast of  Pentecost,  and  granted  an  indulgence  of  seven  years and seven  quarantines  for  each  day  of  the  novena,  and  plenary indulgence any  one  day  of  the  novena  on  the  usual  conditions. The same  indulgences  may  be  gained  any  day  of  the  week  between Pentecost and  Trinity  Sunday.

HE novena  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  chief  of  all  the novenas, because  it  was  the  first  that  was  ever  celebrated, and  that  by  the  holy  apostles  and  the  most  holy Mary in  the  supper-room,  being  distinguished  by  so  many remarkable wonders  and  gifts;  principally  by  the  gift  of the  same  Holy  Spirit,  a  gift  merited  for  us  by  the  Passion of Jesus  Christ  Himself. Jesus Himself  made  this  known to us  when  He  said  to  His  disciples  that  if  He  did  not  die He could  not  send  us  the  Holy  Ghost:  " If  I  go  not,  the  Paraclete will  not  come  to  you;  but  if  I  go,  I  will  send  Him  to you"  (John  xvi.  7). We know  well  by  faith  that  the  Holy Ghost is  the  love  that  the  Father  and  the  Eternal  Word  bear one to  the  other;  and  therefore  the  gift  of  love,  which  the Lord infuses  into  our  souls,  and  which  is  the  greatest  of  all gifts, is  particularly  attributed  to  the  Holy  Ghost. As St. Paul  says,  "The  charity  of  God  is  poured  forth  in  our  hearts by  the  Holy  Ghost,  Who  is  given  to  us"  (Rom.  v.  5). In this novena,  therefore,  we  must  consider,  above  all,  the great value  of  divine  love,  in  order  that  we  may  desire  to obtain  it,  and  endeavor,  by  devout  exercises,  and  especially by prayer,  to  be  made  partakers  of  it,  since  God  has  promised