Come Holy Spirit, come.
      The paschal candle was lit after sunset on Easter Vigil and has been lit in our churches for 40 days or so now. It is symbolic of Jesus, the light of the world. This Light reveals things. He reveals who God really is and proves it by His gesture on the cross. He reveals to us how to be fully human. Light also reveals the danger and reality and brutality of sin and that it is harmful not only wrong. The candle has been lit for the 40 days after His resurrection through His ascension then the 9 days after ascension  until Pentecost and after that the paschal candle will not be lit.   The only time it will be lit after this is at a baptism or at a funeral. Another change we will see is that the corpus will be placed back on the cross. Now that there is no candle what does the absence of the light indicate? Our Jesus has ascended into heaven so then it is up to you and me to bring His light into the world. May we remember that Jesus has lit us.
      Join us in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to be our helper, our light, our inspiration.  Jesus told the apostles he would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to be our helper.  Now, each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are so important so join us in praying for and studying a different gift each day (Fear of the Lord, Fortitude, Knowledge, Wisdom, Piety, Understanding, and Counsel). This is the oldest of all novenas and was instituted by our Lord himself and begins 9 days before Pentecost Sunday. WE ask that He might pour out His Spirit in abundance in a world that is so full of darkness.

Here is the link to the prayers for the novena:
https://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

With Love In His Service,

Debbie Spolar