Reminder of the Holy Spirit: Planting, Rain, and Trust

Here is a quick reminder for myself and others: the Holy Spirit exists.

For some, maybe this is obvious, yet I don’t feel that I’ve been paying enough attention to this Third Person of the Trinity lately.

Hot July, Planting, and Trust in the Holy Spirit

The weather has been hot here in Kansas. For a while, much of the state was in a moderate drought, but with a recent blessing of rain we’re greening up!

I am noticing these patterns even more this year, as we planted new grass and just last week I planted some bushes and a little tree out front.

All of this is giving me a new appreciation for our farmers who trust in God to send the rain when they need it the most. A lot of money gets put into seeds and planting with hopes of good enough yields to pay themselves back and more.

So as I watch our grass come up and try my best to do my part at pulling weeds, it is amazing how little I can actually control and do other than wait.

Reminders of the Holy Spirit

Growing up in New England I never experienced the feeling of relief when a good storm came to relieve dry times.

This is a physical sign of how the Holy Spirit is sent to us. Only, the Spirit is accessible to us always by nature of our Baptism.

When life feels dry and lacking growth, we only have to ask, search, and knock in order to receive, find, and be answered (Luke 11:1-11).

With the rain that comes I hope that our little tree takes root to the ground and grows always green the way the Spirit stays with us.

Then at Christmas we can light up that little tree to celebrate that fact.

Prayers to the Holy Spirit

St. Louis de Montfort says “We should pray our Lord and the Holy Ghost to enlighten us” by saying “Lord, that I may see” or “May I know myself” or “come Holy Ghost”.

He adds that we should pray the Litany of the Holy Ghost for this purpose as well (see end).

I will add the full litany under this post, but while reflecting on it, I realized how much the Spirit does in our daily lives. God is constantly acting in our lives, in the background. He is holding us in existence, growing the grass and the trees, sending the rain when we need a visible sign of our dryness being quenched.

Some titles of the Holy Spirit that jumped out for this reminder are: the Comfortor, the Sanctifier, and Spirit who fills the Universe.

So I needed these reminders of the Spirit in my life, and I thank God for all that He has done and continues to take care of in the background as I go through life.

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Litany of the Holy Ghost

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Father all powerful, have mercy on us
Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, save us.
Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of both, sanctify us.
Holy Trinity, hear us

Holy Ghost, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts. Holy Ghost, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.

Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us.
Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us
Author of all good, have mercy on us
Source of heavenly water, have mercy on us
Consuming fire, have mercy on us
Ardent charity, have mercy on us
Spiritual unction, have mercy on us
Spirit of love and truth, have mercy on us
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, have mercy on us
Spirit of counsel and fortitude, have mercy on us
Spirit of knowledge and piety, have mercy on us
Spirit of the fear of the Lord, have mercy on us
Spirit of grace and prayer, have mercy on us
Spirit of peace and meekness, have mercy on us
Spirit of modesty and innocence, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, the Comforter, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, Who governest the Church, have mercy on us
Gift of God, the Most High, have mercy on us
Spirit Who fillest the universe, have mercy on us
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God, have mercy on us

Holy Ghost, inspire us with horror of sin.
Holy Ghost, come and renew the face of the earth.
Holy Ghost, shed Thy light in our souls.
Holy Ghost, engrave Thy law in our hearts
Holy Ghost, inflame us with the flame of Thy love.
Holy Ghost, open to us the treasures of Thy graces
Holy Ghost, teach us to pray well.
Holy Ghost, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations.
Holy Ghost, lead us in the way of salvation
Holy Ghost, grant us the only necessary knowledge.
Holy Ghost, inspire in us the practice of good. Holy Ghost, grant us the merits of all virtues.
Holy Ghost, make us persevere in justice.
Holy Ghost, be Thou our everlasting reward.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Send us Thy Holy Ghost.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety.

V. Come, Holy Ghost! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful,
R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

Let Us Pray. Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit may enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth and reigneth forever and ever.

R. Amen.

(sourced from St. Louis de Montfort’s Total Consecration)