PRAYER TOGETHER FOR A NEW PENTECOST
Alex Heath, the Adviser for Adult Faith Formation, Catechetics and Chaplaincy in the Northampton diocese, invites us to join in the prayer for a New Pentecost in the Church.
A NEW EVANGELISATION
The need for a New Evangelisation is as urgent today as ever. The Word of God teaches us, however, that a New Evangelisation is only possible in the power of a New Pentecost, not in any other way. It will not come about in our own strength, or by any new methods of our own creation, no matter how clever they may seem to us. It is only in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the power of a New Pentecost, that we will see the fruitfulness that we all hope for.
IN GOD’S SPIRIT
In my own life, even though by my late teens I was aware of a call to evangelise, it was only after yielding more fully to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in my early twenties that I started to see any power and fruit in my evangelising with others. Pope Francis says that “without prayer all our activity risks being fruitless and our message empty.” (The Joy of the Gospel, 259) and Scripture reminds us that we are to trust not in our own might or power but in God’s Spirit alone (Zechariah 4:6).
THE FIRST PENTECOST
After his resurrection from the dead and before ascending into heaven, Jesus Christ told his disciples to stay in the city until they had been clothed with power from on high. Faithful to his command they returned to the Upper Room in Jerusalem where they all joined together constantly in prayer. When the day of Pentecost came the promise of the Father was fulfilled and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1)
PREPARE FOR PENTECOST
Like those early disciples we too in our day need to be clothed with power from on high, we too need to be constantly flled with the Holy Spirit. For this reason the Church presents us all with an opportunity, in preparation for Pentecost, to ‘return to the Upper Room’ in order to pray for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, upon the Church and the whole world. Taking part in Pentecost novena prayer services is one practical way that we can join in prayer with others during the nine days leading up to Pentecost.
UNITED IN PRAYER
We know that there is great power when we join together in prayer with others. The frst disciples gathered in the Upper Room. Today we may not all gather in one place but in prayer we can be united, in different parts of the country, and even in different nations. There are simple, free and easy to use resources being offered by the Evangelisation Team of the Catholic Diocese of Northampton (England), to promote prayer for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
NOVENA SERVICES
The Pentecost Novena 2016 will take place from Friday 6th May to Saturday 14th May 2016 inclusive. The aim is that on each of the nine days there will be parishes and prayer groups using these resources and in this way the novena is prayed collectively over the nine days. These services can be prayed before or after Mass or other liturgies, in prayer meetings, as part of other meetings or at home. They are suitable for use by Churches, prayer groups, families and individuals for their personal prayer.
WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE?
Pentecost Novena Services are available in various formats (you can use these to be united in prayer with other parishes, prayer groups, family members and friends). Why not invite other parishes, family members & friends to join you? There is an Invitation Poster available on our website that you can send them. Do you have links with family, friends, prayer groups or parishes in other nations? You could invite them to join you and celebrate the global Church in prayer. There is also an Ecumenical Novena Service as well as Prayer Cards and other resources available on our website, all free and simple to use!
Please log on to: www.northamptondiocese.org and follow links for ‘Faith’ and ‘Evangelisation’ to see the range of resources available.
ENCOURAGEMENT
Pope Francis says that, “keeping our missionary fervour alive calls for frm trust in the Holy Spirit… and so we need to invoke the Spirit constantly.” He reminds us that, “there is no greater freedom than that of allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, renouncing the attempt to plan and control everything to the last detail, and instead letting him enlighten, guide and direct us, leading us wherever he wills. The Holy Spirit knows well what is needed in every time and place.” (The Joy of the Gospel, paragraph 280)
Let us then, together, invoke the Holy Spirit constantly: “Come Holy Spirit!”
THE NOVENA PRAYER:
COME, HOLY SPIRIT, FILL THE HEART OF YOUR FAITHFUL AND KINDLE IN US THE FIRE OF YOUR LOVE. SEND FORTH YOUR SPIRIT AND WE SHALL BE CREATED AND YOU WILL RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
Our Father
Our Lady, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us
Glory be
