Ten more days of Eastertide! Don't forget your "Easter Duty!"
What, Exactly, Is the Easter Duty for Catholics?
The "duty" is to receive Holy Communion at least once during Eastertide. This is a precept of the Catholic Church, meaning every Catholic is obliged to fulfill this Easter duty. Some believe part of the precept includes the Sacrament of Penance (Confession), and while that is not precisely true - reception of the Holy Eucharist must be done in the State of Grace, therefore while not part of the requirement for the precept, it IS a requirement if one is not in the State of Grace (has one or more unconfessed mortal sin on their soul). Frequent confession is always a good idea though! One does not have to be in mortal sin to go to confession as ANY sin can be confessed, even venial sins.
Ascension Thursday
On the 40th day of Eastertide Jesus ascended into Heaven, just as the Catholic creeds (accepted and recited by most of Christendom) proclaim. "He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, Almighty; from thence He shall come again to judge the living and the dead."
It was important for Jesus to ascend to the Father, for, as He said, if He did not do so, He could not send the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, to be with His first bishops - to guide them to all truth.
The First Novena!
The Apostles and Mary stayed in Jerusalem, awaiting the Feast of Days, aka, Pentecost. A Jewish holiday. For the next 9 days the Apostles and Mary prayed for the coming of the Holy Ghost - and on the 50th day after the Resurrection, He came upon them! The Catholic Church is born! Our first bishops who had locked themselves in the Upper Room had the Holy Ghost descend upon them, and rested upon them as tongues of fire. As they came out of the Upper Room, they began to preach to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem from all around the region. To the crowd's astonishment, each of them heard the preaching in their own language!
Holy Ghost Novena – Day 1
Come Holy Ghost, and send forth from heaven the ray of Thy light.
Veni, Sancte Spíritus Et emítte cœlitus Lucis tuæ rádium.
Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us Thy sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be (seven times)
Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost
On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy light, and listen to Thy voice, and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced feet of Jesus, and looking at His five wounds, and trusting in His precious Blood, and adoring His opened side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, “Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth.” Amen.
Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thy Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy 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 Thy 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 Thee 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 and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me with the sign of Thy true disciples and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.
For the full novena: https://angeluspress.org/pages/copy-of-novena-to-the-holy-ghost-9-day-novena
