Today, the feast of Pentecost, is one of the few times when we have a “Sequence” during the liturgical year. In a couple weeks, for Corpus Christi, we’ll have another one.

This morning, I actually used the beautiful text of the sequence for Pentecost in my prayer. This ancient prayer invokes the Holy Spirit under several different titles: source of all our store, comforter, guest, solace, light divine, etc. However, the one the stuck out to me today was “Father of the poor.”

A person could look at this several different ways, I’m sure, but it spoke to me in that I am poor. On my own, I can do nothing. As much as I may strive to “do good and avoid evil,” I fall very short. Without the Holy Spirit’s help, I fail again and again.

We are all poor, completely dependent upon God. Our consolation is that the Holy Spirit is the Father of the Poor; He can attend to our need and give us the grace we so need.

This past week, in preparation for this great feast of Pentecost, our community has been praying this same text as a novena.

When I lived in Rugby, ND, we actually prayed it every evening with Vespers, so I have it committed to memory.

As we celebrate Pentecost, praying for the Holy Spirit’s action in our lives, you may, too, wish to use it for meditation.

Sequence — Veni, Sancte Spiritus

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.

Alleluia.