At his Ascension, Jesus instructs the disciples to go back to Jerusalem to wait and pray for the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1) Around 120 persons did so for nine days straight.

On day ten, the Holy Spirit arrived as promised to empower God’s people to witness and serve in extraordinary, life-giving ways. This is what we celebrate and claim for our generation every Pentecost.

This year I’m inviting us to nine days of intentional prayer, May 14-22, leading up to Pentecost, May 23. Nine days straight of intentional prayer is known as a novena.

Below you’ll find nine prayers. Some original and some collected from other sources. Use some, use all. Use several a day, use one a day. You can, of course, add your own and I hope you will.

Come, Holy Spirit- Lisa <><

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PRAYER ONE: Holy Spirit, Holy One by Lisa Degrenia

People of God, Rejoice!
Our Eternal and Beautiful God is near
The One who gives us new birth by water and Spirit
The One who names us beloved
The One who delights in our very existence
Come and worship

Holy Spirit, Holy One
Holy Spirit, Descending Dove
Alight on me that I may know your presence
Anoint me that I may know your call
Fill me that I may know your power
Guide me that I may know your path
Name me that I may know, that I know, that I know who I am
Amen

O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. – Psalm 105:1-3, NRSV

And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. – Mark 1:10, NRSV

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PRAYER TWO: This is a traditional Catholic prayer. I first encountered this prayer on a Walk to Emmaus retreat.

Come, Holy Spirit,
Fill the hearts of Your faithful
And kindle in us the fire of Your love.
Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created.
And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit
did instruct the hearts of the faithful,
grant that by the same Holy Spirit
we may be truly wise and ever enjoy Your consolations.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”- Acts 1:8

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PRAYER THREE: Fill Us by Lisa Degrenia

Generous, Holy Spirit, You pour out Your power
Your unseen work is real and near and constant
like air, like wind, like breath

Fill us. Fill us now.
Fill us so our cups runneth over

Fill us with boldness to witness and testify
to your victory, your companionship, your call

Fill us with strength and skills far beyond us
Fill us with courage to do hard, holy things

Fill us with passion
Fill us with enthusiasm
Fill us with joy

Fill us with You

For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. – Romans 14:17, NRSV

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. – Romans 5:1-5

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PRAYER FOUR: Your Holy Presence by Lisa Degrenia

Mighty God, we bow before your Holy Presence
You are Breath of Life: make us alive in Christ
You are Dove: name us and claim us for your purposes
You are Light: brighten our thoughts with your wisdom
You are Counselor: encourage us, remind us, guide our steps
You are Wind: disperse the clouds of injustice
You are Divine Spirit: give us grace to heal the harm
You are Tongue: fill us with words of hope, truth, and welcome
You are Fire: ignite your holy love in us
You are Living Water: make us one as we drink of You

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? – Psalm 139:7

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PRAYER FIVE by Dimitri of Rostov

Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart with the flame of your love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there,
for you alone are my King and my Lord. Amen.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. – Acts 2:1-4

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PRAYER SIX: Pour Out by Lisa Degrenia

Holy Spirit, pour out your power
Holy Spirit, pour out your presence
Holy Spirit, pour out your truth
Holy Spirit, pour out your life
Grace upon grace
Strength upon strength
Life upon life

In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. – Acts 2:17-18

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PRAYER SEVEN: Holy Spirit, Come Again by Lisa Degrenia

Holy Spirit, come again as Guiding Fire,
Lighting the way though our wilderness
Come, Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, come again as Cleansing Fire,
Burning away all that is false and fruitless
Come, Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, come again as Refining Fire,
Making our words, our ways, and our hearts pure
Come, Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, come again as Prophetic Fire,
Releasing the Gospel shut up in our bones
Come, Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, come again as Empowering Fire,
Granting gifts to heal and transform the world
Come, Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, come again as Unifying Fire,
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Amen

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. – Revelation 22:17, NRSV

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PRAYER EIGHT: Spirit of Truth by Lisa Degrenia

Spirit of Truth, come live in me
Rest on me and ready me

Seeing as you see
Your mind and heart within me
Hearing and heading your counsel
Wisdom of the ages
Divine and life-giving and intimate
Speak, I’m listening

Spirit of Truth, come live in me
Rest on me and release me

Empowered by your might,
Steadfast and vulnerable
Strength of soul and character
Strength of virtue and honor
Strength to build up and make way
Your truth pouring forth, generous and creative
Awakening and instructing and sustaining

Spirit of Truth, come live in me
I ask this humbly
Recognizing the price of this gift
I ask this reverently
For your honor and glory alone
Amen

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” – John 14:15-17

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PRAYER NINE: This is a modern translation by the Church of England of an ancient prayer, Veni Sancte Spiritus. Common Worship: Daily Prayer © The Archbishops’ Council 2005 by Church House Publishing

Come, Holy Spirit;
send down from heaven’s height
your radiant light.

Come, lamp of every heart,
come, parent of the poor;
all gifts are yours.

Comforter beyond all comforting,
sweet unexpected guest,
sweetly refresh.

Rest in hard labor,
coolness in heavy heat,
hurt souls’ relief.

Refill the secret hearts
of your faithful,
O most blessed light.

Without your holy power
nothing can bear your light,
nothing is free from sin.

Wash all that is filthy,
water all that is parched,
heal what is hurt within.

Bend all that is rigid,
warm all that has frozen hard,
lead back the lost.

Give to your faithful ones,
who come in simple trust,
your sevenfold mystery.

Give virtue its reward,
give, in the end, salvation
and joy that has no end.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.- Romans 15:13

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© 2021 You are welcome to use the original portions of this work in a worship setting with proper attribution. (by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, http://www.revlisad.com) Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.