Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/531



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 I  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  it  to  him  who asks  for  it  with  humility:  "Your  Father  from  heaven I will  give  the  good  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  Him" (Luke  xi.  13).

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