Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

When Jesus appeared to his Apostles after he rose from the dead, he promised, that after his Ascension into heaven, he would send the Holy Spirit upon them to teach and strengthen them for their ministry.

St. Luke tells what happened on Pentecost Day:

“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

SOURCE: 1 ACTS 2:1-11

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Come, Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine! Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store! Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best; You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below; In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine, Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill! Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought, Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away: Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend; Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord; Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia!

Source: Liturgy of Pentecost.

Header image: “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” | Jean II Restout, Pentecôte, 1732.