Come, Holy Spirit! Ancient Prayer #9

Come, Holy Spirit! Ancient Prayer #9.

THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Spirit of Glory; the Presence of God appearing in Shekinah glory through light, fire, and luminous cloud; God’s divine Presence on earth; the eternal life-giving Third Person of the Holy Trinity; the intimate bond of divine love and truth shared by God the Father and God the Son; the dynamic power of God offered to every human being on earth; the supernatural Presence in the Community of God who is personal without being material; the invisible creative force with divine intelligence who truly knows the mind of God from the inside; the Spirit of God who thus has all knowledge and is present everywhere in the universe; the sacred energy streaming forth from the Father and the Son, pouring love into our hearts (Romans 5:5), producing virtuous qualities in us (Galatians 5:22-23), and gradually transforming each believer into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

“I bow as suppliant before Your immutable and all-powerful sovereignty,

Oh mighty Spirit:

Send down the dew of your gentleness.

You, who consecrate the apostles, inspire the prophets, teach the teachers,

Who make the dumb to speak and open the ears of those that cannot hear,

Give to me too, sinner though I am, the grace to speak with sureness

Of the life-giving mystery of the good news of the Gospel.

When I set out to speak Your word in the assembly,

May Your mercy go before me,

And at the right moment prompt me from within

To say what is fitting and helpful and pleasing to You,

To the glory and praise of Your Godhead

And wholly for the edification of the universal Church.”

(early Armenian church, Gregory of Narek).