Feast of Pentecost - How Are We to Honor the Holy Ghost in our Souls?

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If the Holy Ghost is...really in our souls, loving us with an unspeakably great love and craving for our love in return, we must above all realize and remember His Divine Presence. We must not, as many do, pass the whole day, pass many days and weeks in complete forgetfulness of Him.

True, we cannot be praying constantly to Him all day long, but we can honor and adore Him in many different ways:

First: by offering to Him our daily prayers, Masses, Communions and good works.

We increase the Gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost by prayer and the reception of the Sacraments.

Second: by offering in His honor all the actions of the day.

We can offer Him our daily work, our sleep, our eating, all we do, as St. Paul tells us: "Whatever you do in word or work, do all in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ." The Apostle continues: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever else you do, do all int he name of Our Lord Jesus Christ."

We thus honor the Holy Ghost day and night by offering for love of Him all we do. It is He who commands us to eat, to sleep, to work, to rest. Surely there is no difficulty in doing all this for the love of Him.

Third:  by saying special prayers to the Holy Ghost.

We daily say these prayers to the Holy Ghost, but we do not always give them sufficient attention.

Every time we make the Sign of the Cross, we say: "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy ghost." In the future, when repeating these words, let us say with special emphasis the words, "Holy ghost," not that we wish to give more honor to the Holy Ghost than to the Father and the Son, but only that we may make reparation to Him for our past neglect.

The same applies to another prayer we repeat so often, viz: "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost." We say this beautiful prayer very frequently, but many say it without due attention. Let us try for the future to emphasize a little the words "to the Holy Ghost." This prayer said once with devotion is worth more than the same prayer said a thousand times hastily and irreverently.

A third special prayer in honor of the Holy Ghost is the Third Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, viz, "The Descent of the Holy Ghost on Our Lady and the Apostles."

It should be clearly our intention when saying this mystery to ask God's sweet Mother and the Apostles to obtain for us all the Gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, as they received them on the Feast of Pentecost.

Remark that these three prayers are not additional burden, for we are already accustomed to say them frequently. Only, for the future, let us say them more devoutly.

Fourth:  by ejaculatory prayers to the Holy Ghost.

"Holy Ghost, God of Love, I adore Thee really and truly in my soul. Oh, give me Thy holy love."

"Holy Ghost, God of Peace, really and truly in my soul, give me Thy blessed peace, which surpasses all understanding."

"Holy Ghost, God of light, really and truly in my soul, give me Thy blessed light that I may see all things clearly."

"Holy Ghost, God of Joy and Consolation, really and truly in my soul, fill me with Thy joy and consolations."

"Holy Ghost, God of Strength, really and truly in my soul, give me Thy divine strength, that I may do all things well."

"Holy Ghost, God of infinite Sweetness and Goodness, really and truly in my soul, give me Thy seven Gifts, Thy beatitudes and Fruits."

We can say these ejaculations, some or all of the, at night when we are awake or during the day when working or at any time. They will keep us ever in the blessed presence of the Holy Ghost and will bring us joy and consolation.

Fifth:  by the practice of virtues.

All virtues please the Holy Ghost, but two attract Him most especially, viz. humility and purity. We should therefore use diligent care in cultivating these virtues and avoiding faults of pride, vanity and impurity.

- The Holy Ghost Our Greatest Friend: He Who Loves us Best by Fr. Paul O' Sullivan, O.P.