A Novena for Renewal in the Holy Spirit
“How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Lk 11:13). It is time to ask the Lord to renew the gift of the Holy Spirit within you. This practical activity is intended to help you begin to put the insights of this lesson into practice, and build a more active relationship with the Holy Spirit. This activity has 4 parts:
- Visit Church or an adoration chapel, and ask the Lord, in your own words, to pour out upon you anew the gift of His Holy Spirit. Do not only ask Him for an increase of the Spirit, but tell Him why you want an increase. Your prayer may be long or short, but let it be from your heart. Include the same request in your daily prayers for the following eight days.
- Wait for an answer to your prayer. What is the Lord saying? Do you notice anything different about your spiritual life? A renewed conviction of the Lordship of Jesus? A deeper understanding of the Father’s love? A greater humility or courage? A new experience in reading the Sacred Scriptures? A greater heart for the salvation of others? A new inspiration or insight? A new awareness of your sinfulness and need for repentance? Something else?
- Recalling what you have learned in this lesson, act on some good inspiration that you may have received from the Holy Spirit, or put into practice something else you have learned from this lesson (especially from 6.5 or 6.6).
- When you are ready, please also post in the Community Forums about your experience doing this practical activity. There is a specific topic created for this. Also, give a constructive question or comment about the lesson, or somebody else’s post on their experience doing the practical activity. All of this is required for your basic certification!
This practical activity requires trust in the Lord’s promise to share His Spirit with His faithful children.