Pentecost Novena
Do you know the first novena ever prayed is the Pentecost Novena (also know as the Novena to the Holy Spirit)? This novena starts Friday after Ascension Thursday until Saturday, the Vigil of Pentecost. It commemorates the nine days between the Ascension of Our Lord and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. During this time, Our Lady and the apostles prayed in the upper room for the coming of the promised Holy Spirit, the Paraclete:
When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus… (Acts 1:13-14)
Mary is with the apostles in the upper room. She provides a model of prayer and encourages the apostles to wait and pray for coming of the Holy Spirit. This novena asks for the Holy Spirit’s seven gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. With Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, let us prepare our hearts to receive with ardent love the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit!
Novena prayers below are adapted from Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts, EWTN.
Daily Novena Prayer
To be prayed daily along with each day’s meditation.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven, promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your apostles and disciples, be pleased 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 in Him 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 of the Lord, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to offend Him.
Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.
Novena Daily Meditations
Click on the images below to pray the daily meditation for each day.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Novena Daily Meditations
Click on the buttons to be taken to the daily meditation for each day.
Daily Reflections
Novena Day 1
The Holy Spirit. Only one thing is important — eternal salvation. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love, of Strength, and of Light. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for “the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes” (Romans 8:26).
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your divine love.  Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.  O God, who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may always be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.
 Amen.
Novena Day 2
The gift of Fear of the Lord fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread offending Him by sin. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us from anything that could in any way separate us from God. “They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls.” – Sirach 2:20 (DRB)
Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God, before my face forever, help me to shun all things that can offend You, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of Your Divine Majesty in heaven.
Amen.
Novena Day 3
The gift of Piety moves our hearts to love, worship, and reverence God as our loving Father because we are His children and to grow in our love and respect for others, seeing them as our brothers and sisters, members of God’s family. The gift of Piety also fosters a generous and childlike love, so that a person wants to please God, even if it means making sacrifices. It is also a loving obedience toward the teachings and commandments, respecting them as expressions of God’s love for us. Acts of piety also include honoring our Blessed Mother and the saints, kissing the Bible and Crucifix, reverently entering a church. Piety helps us offer our work and service with love and joy. St. Teresa of Calcutta always taught her sisters to treat those they cared for as though they were caring for Jesus Himself, and to do so with a joyful heart and with a smile. Where there is love, there is no labor.
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle in me a love for God as my most loving Father, that I may seek to do His Will, to worship and serve Him alone, and also to love and respect the Church, the family of God.
Amen.
Novena Day 4
The gift of Fortitude strengthens the soul against natural fear. Fortitude empowers the soul to endure difficulties for the sake of heaven, strengthening our will with a firmness to choose good and resist evil. Fortitude gives unshakable confidence in God and courage to endure patiently the trials of life and to persevere joyfully in the midst of suffering. “The one that perseveres to the end will be saved.” -Matthew 24:13
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all my enemies, that I may never be overcome & separated from You, my God & greatest Good.
Amen
Novena Day 5
The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth–in light of one’s goal as heaven with God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. Knowledge also gives certitude in matters of the practice of the Faith and instills confidence in the pursuit of truth. “Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesses it.” -Proverbs 16:22 (DRB)
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may know the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Your glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to You, and Your eternal rewards.
Amen.
Novena Day 6
The gift of Understanding helps us to have a deeper meaning of the mysteries of our holy faith. By faith we know them, but by understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them be quickened to newness of life. Understanding inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to “walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” -Colossians 1:10 (DRB)
Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Your Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of You, the Father, and the Son.
Amen.
Novena Day 7
The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. “Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct your way in truth.” -Sirach 37:19 (NRSVCE)
Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Your holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Your commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long.
Amen.
Novena Day 8Â
Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written “all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands” (Wisdom 7:11, DRB). It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, while the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Savior: “Take up your cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light” (Matthew 11: 29-30, DRB).
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power, and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for ever.
Amen.
Novena Day 9
The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Him is to reign.
Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Your heavenly fruits, Your charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Your inspiration may merit to be united eternally with You in the love of the Father and the Son.
Amen.