Day 1
The Desire for Holiness

When we think about Pentecost, we think about the Holy Spirit and His seven sanctifying gifts. These gifts help us become holy. Indeed, the ultimate goal of our lives is to become holy and lead others to the same goal. You may think: “This goal of attaining holiness is too unreachable for me.” But according to St. Faustina, this goal is actually way easier than what we think.

My Jesus, it is truly easy to become holy; it just takes a little good will! And if He finds this minimum of good will in a soul, He quickly gives Himself to her. And nothing can stop Him, neither our faults nor our falls, absolutely nothing. Jesus hurries to help that soul; and if the soul is faithful to this grace from God, she can in a short time reach the highest level of holiness that a created being can attain here below. God is very generous and does not refuse His grace to anyone. He gives even more than we ask for. The shortest road is faithfulness to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

– St. Faustina Kowalska, Dairy: Divine Mercy in my Soul

After this fear within us in attaining holiness is overcome,
the next question is: “How thirsty are we for holiness after all?”

This is in fact the same question as: “How thirsty are we for God?”
In all honesty, we may find ourselves (at times) lacking that desire. We should seek help from the Holy Spirit to “restore” that desire in us. The same Holy Spirit that has granted us the seven sanctifying gifts will also put that desire back in us.

Ultimately, our desire for God's love and our aspiration to love him
as much as we can set us in motion on our path to holiness.

Dear Holy Spirit, plant in me the desire to love God and follow His commandment to become holy. Grant me the perseverance to nurture this seed intentionally to make it strong and fruitful. I desire to follow your prompts and inspirations in life in order to attain holiness. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen!

Novena to the Holy Spirit:

Invocation Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, and console me. Tell me what to do, direct my every choice.I promise to submit myself to all you desire of me and to accept all that you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will.Grant this through Christ Our Lord.Amen.

Day One

Needing the Spirit “Drawing Near” Ezekiel 36:26-28: I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my Spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.You shall live in the land I gave your fathers, you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Meditation:

Our need is God’s opportunity.But we must acknowledge our need. Often this means helplessness before some weakness or sickness and an admission of our need for help. Next comes faith in the power of God’s Spirit, available to us to meet that need. Our faith must find some expression before any need will be met.That expression of faith is all God is looking for, and He will manifest His power in our lives. Faith is the key that allows us to receive the storehouse of God’s resources.Prayer for the Day: Lord, I know I can come before you with confidence that by yourgrace you accept me. I ask you Lord to make my life what you desire of it. Cleanse me, heal me, restore me and through your divine power draw me near to you in everything.Thank you for supplying me with all I need through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven, did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.