Pentecost! - DONVM DEI (The Gift of God)

:) Good Day All:

It's the Feast of Pentecost! :) We are now in the octave of the Feast.

In a while, I will change the background mp3 to that of Veni Creator or something else suitable when the Angelus is being said instead of the Regina Caeli. (The Regina Caeli replaced the Angelus from Easter Sunday morning until noon of the Saturday after Pentecost inclusive. It is also sung or recited at Compline with its verse and prayer during Paschal Time)

Veni Creator Spiritus

Veni Creator Spiritus
Mentes tuorum visita:
Imple superna gratia
Quae tu creasti pectora.

Qui diceris Paraclitus,
Altissimi donum Dei,
Fons vivus, ignis, caritas
Et spiritalis unctio.

Tu septiformis munere,
Digitus paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris
Sermone ditans guttura.

Accende lumen sensibus,
Infunde amorem cordibus,
Infirma nostril corporis
Virtute firmans perpeti.

Hostem repellas longius,
Pacemque dones protinus,
Ductore sic te praevio
Vitemus omne noxium.

Per te sciamus da Patrem,
Noscamus atque Filium,
Teque utriusque Spiritum
Credamus omni tempore.

Deo Patri sit Gloria,
Et Filio qui a mortuis,
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
In saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur.
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

Oremus
Deus qui corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti, da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere, et de eius simper consolatione gaudere. Per Christum, Dominum nostrum.
Amen.

GOSPEL (John XIV. 23-31) At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words: and the word which you have heard is not mine, but the Father's, who sent me. These things have I spoken to you, abiding with you: but the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You have heard that I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have ;told you before it came to pass, that when it shall come to pass you may believe. I will not now speak many things with you; for the prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not anything. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father hath givers me commandment, so do I.

If thou didst know the gift of God. (John IV:10)

Alone with God
By Father J. Heyrman, S.J.

DONVM DEI – The Gift of God
Whit Monday

1. It is a moving spectacle, at High Mass on Pentecost day, to see the celebrant, the sacred ministers, the acolytes, and the whole congregation, falling on their knees, when the choir intones the Veni Sancte Spiritus: with burning hearts and ardent desire all listen to the hallowed melody and the pleading alleluias. “Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful.”

2. Petition: That the Holy Ghost may fill our hearts and kindle in them divine love.

I. The Gift of God

“Donum Dei,” the Gift of God: this is the proper name of the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, who is the bond of love between the Father and the Son, and “the charity of God, poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us” (Rom. 5:5). Every gift is a pure token of love, not due from the giver, not merited by the recipient. This is the true of “every best gift, and every perfect gift from above, coming from the Father of lights” (Jas. 1:17); it is true most of all of Charity Itself, the primordial gift, whence all other flow. God’s love (for us) was poured into our souls in holy Baptism. In this Sacrament the Holy Ghost was given to us, “poured forth into our hearts”, as St. Paul says, like a rushing flood that pervades our whole being. The gift of sanctifying grace accomplishes a fundamental change in the soul, a new creation; we cease to be slaves, imbued with the spirit of fear and servitude. “You have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba (Father). For the Spirit giveth testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God” (Rom. 8: 15,16). This is the spontaneous cry from the child’s heart, into which the Holy Ghost has entered, dwells, works and prays.

II. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost

The influence of the Holy Ghost on the soul is profound and subtle. Through His seven gifts – wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, the fear of the Lord – He pervades our every faculty, our intellect, our will, and renders them fit to receive God’s grace.

So often we pray that we may recta sapere, that is, relish what is right in things spiritual and supernatural. The gifts of the Holy Ghost – wisdom, understanding, counsel and knowledge – give keenness and insight to the intellect. The Saints possess this right relish: the holy Cure of Ars was well known not as a man of learning; his fellow priests were aware of this and expressed to the Bishop their doubts as to his fitness to hear confession and to preach the word of God. “I do not know,” answered the Pastor, “whether he has much learning, but I know that he is enlightened.” The Imitation of Christ points out this difference: “There is a great difference between the wisdom of a devout and enlightened servant of God, and the learning of a cultured and studious scholar. Far nobler is that knowledge which flows from above, from God Himself, than that which is painfully acquired by human intellect” (Book 3, 31:2).

The gifts of understanding, wisdom, counsel and knowledge enlighten the mind and give it supernatural intuition; the gifts of fortitude, piety and the fear of the Lord strengthen the will, and enable it to obey readily God’s will and to persevere therein.

The gifts of the Holy Ghost are of many kinds; but He Himself is THE Gift of the Father and of the Son to us: and in bestowing that Gift on us they have given us all things. That Gift is “the charity of God, poured forth in our hearts” (Rom. 5:5).

While the entire congregation, kneeling before the altar prays, “Come, O Holy Ghost; fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Thy love,” the Spirit Himself prays in us, according to the words of St. Paul, “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings. And he that searcheth the hearts (the Father) knoweth what the Spirit desireth: because he asketh for the saints according to God” (Rom. 8: 26,27).

These words of the Apostle show what a profound mystery the Church and her children commemorate this day. They make us realize that the Spirit animates the Mystical Body, gives life to every member and to the entire Body, abides in it, is active in it, and will be active until the last day.

Prayer to the Father: Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Prayer to the Holy Ghost: Come, O Holy Ghost; fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Thy Love.

Jesus, Mary, I love Thee; Save Souls!

Regina Caeli, Laetare, Alleluia!