shocked into prayer
"No sooner had He said this than He was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took Him from their sight." —Acts 1:9
Before Jesus ascended, He told us to be His witnesses and to wait to be "clothed with power from on high" (Lk 24:48-49). Then He was taken up into heaven. The last words of a person ascending have a tendency to stick with you. The disciples were so shocked they actually obeyed Jesus and remained in the city to pray.
We hope today's celebration of Jesus' Ascension will affect us this way. May we get shocked into obeying God's call to pray for nine days so that we and all the Church will receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. May we pray as if:
- our best friend has disappeared,
- something happened where we couldn't believe our eyes,
- we need a miracle,
- a close friend committed suicide (see Acts 1:18),
- Mary, the mother of God, was with us (Acts 1:14),
- Pentecost 2010 were real, and
- we thirsted for and desired the Spirit more than anything else in life.
After this novena to the Holy Spirit, we will never be the same. Pray and obey.
Prayer: Father, may I prepare for the coming of the Spirit by going to Confession as soon as possible.
Promise: "This Jesus Who has been taken from you will return, just as you saw Him go up into the heavens." —Acts 1:11
Praise: Praise Jesus, "manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit; seen by the angels; preached among the Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up into glory" (1 Tm 3:16).
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 9, 2009
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