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Darlene
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Fri Nov 17th, 2006 03:45 pm |
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Hello Everyone,
Just a quick question here. Is it Biblical and proper to pray to the Holy Spirit? Since I have had an interest in the Catholic faith, I have been drawn to pray to the Holy Spirit. Prior to this, I didn't think it was proper or Biblical.
The very first ministry in which I was a member and came to know Christ, did not believe in praying to the Holy Spirit. The leader in that ministry said that there is no example in the Bible of anyone ever praying to the Holy Spirit. He also said that the Holy Spirit is subject to Jesus and the Father and never seeks attention for Himself. After leaving that ministry (turned cult), I attended varous churches and most did not pray to the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostals at the Assemblies of God Church were the only ones that I can recall that prayed to the Holy Spirit. While we attended that church, my husband made it a point of saying that we should not pray to the Holy Spirit. He told me privately, not the members of the church. So, whenever my husband and I have prayed together, we have never prayed to the Holy Spirit.
Recently, I heard Father Francis on "Life on the Rock" encourage people to pray to the Holy Spirit. This is new for me but the truth is, I have felt such a strong inclination to pray to the Holy Spirit lately. Of course, not just the Holy Spirit, but now I am including Him. I feel as though I have ignored Him all these years.
Anyway, I look forward to your responses.
Darlene
P.S.: Just to clarify, it isn't that I denied the POWER of the Holy Spirit, or His importance in the Holy Trinity. Instead, I would pray to the Father or to Jesus and ask them to use the Holy Spirit in a specific situation. Ex: Often I would pray, "Heavenly Father, I ask that You would give me guidance and lead me by the power of the Holy Spirit." I just didn't pray DIRECTLY to the Holy Spirit. Whereas now I feel compelled to acknowledge Him directly.
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5079 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Fri Nov 17th, 2006 05:14 pm |
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Darlene wrote: Just a quick question here. Is it Biblical and proper to pray to the Holy Spirit? Since I have had an interest in the Catholic faith, I have been drawn to pray to the Holy Spirit. Prior to this, I didn't think it was proper or Biblical.
The Church has always prayed to the Spirit. This is the Sequence from the Feast of Pentecost:
Come, Holy Spirit, Come
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 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 thine,
and our inmost being fill.
Where you are not, man has 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 sev'nfold gift descend.
Give us virtue's sure reward.
Give us your salvation, Lord.
Give us joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia. There's an excellent Catholic online ministry called Holy Spirit Interactive which, in addition to devotions to the Holy Spirit, includes many articles on the Catholic faith. I like the section, "There's Something About Mary" which details several of the titles under which our Blessed Mother is honored. Their Complete Catholic Handbook is also quite good, especially for those of us raised on the teachings of the Baltimore Catechism.Last edited on Fri Nov 17th, 2006 05:19 pm by CajunRick
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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BettyBoopToo
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
| Posts: | 538 |
| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Nov 20th, 2006 01:34 am |
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cajunrick There's an excellent Catholic online ministry called Holy Spirit Interactive which, in addition to devotions to the Holy Spirit, includes many articles on the Catholic faith. I like the section, "There's Something About Mary" which details several of the titles under which our Blessed Mother is honored. Their Complete Catholic Handbook is also quite good, especially for those of us raised on the teachings of the Baltimore Catechism.
Darlene:
Holy Spirit Interactive/ I receive their e-mail newsletter. They have alot of great articles on many different topics.
Before I became Catholic, Praying to the HS felt very foreign to me. Using the trinitarian formula while crossing yourself at the beginning and end of every prayer seems to bring you into a closer relationship and reality with the trinity and much easier to pray to each or all.
I wish I new when & why protestants quit crossing themselves while saying "In the Name of, The Father, Son & HS".
From what I understand all mainstream protestants believe in the trinity, But when I attended a baptist church we always began prayer with "Heavenly Father" and ended "In Jesus Name" Amen. Just curious, I wondered if their was something in scripture that inspired the change.
God Bless
Betty
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Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
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Truthseeker
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 4th, 2006 |
| Location: | Costa Mesa, California USA |
| Posts: | 347 |
| First Name: | Laura | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | lapsed and returned CATHOLIC!!!!!! |
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Posted: Tue Nov 21st, 2006 10:04 pm |
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hi all,
When I first came back to Christ, I started in the RCC, where I had always gone to church (whenever I went throughout the years). After a few months, I started attending a bible church to get bible study. I thought it was pentacostal, because it did a few ecumneical gatherings with another church which had pentacostal leaflets. Turns out, it was non-denom, and I think so was the other one. How confusing is it, when you don't even know what kind of church you are attending? And I went there for almost a year! Anyway, I remember feeling like I was neglecting the Father and Holy Spirit, because the emphasis was so strongly on Jesus. And, for a long time, I would make sure that I, personally, included the Father and Holy Spirit, adressing each person in every prayer. As the year went on, I got used to their prayer formula (for lack of a better word), and after my struggle to fnd Christ's church, when I came back to the RCC, I felt guilty for addressing every prayer to the Trinity instead of Jesus, alone. I would apologize for...I don't know, I guess not putting all my spiritual eggs in His basket. Now, I pray to all of the three God Persons - as Trinity and individually, as I need certain specific things, Father give me strength, Spirit give me love, Jesus give me Mercy....sometimes seperately, sometimes, I go round and round, addressing all three several times in the same prayer. Sometimes, I pray as though I am talking to one God (imagine that) and ask for specific prayers that technically come from each of them separately. And, I wonder, now, why would Jesus as God be jealous that I pray to the Holy Spirit as God, since they are one God. The Holy Spirit is just as much God as the Father and Son. That is the whole basis of our belief in the Trinity.
Love, Laura
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Lord, please make my will your Will!
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BettyBoopToo
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
| Posts: | 538 |
| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Nov 21st, 2006 10:50 pm |
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Truthseeker wrote: And, I wonder, now, why would Jesus as God be jealous that I pray to the Holy Spirit as God, since they are one God. The Holy Spirit is just as much God as the Father and Son. That is the whole basis of our belief in the Trinity.
Love, Laura
Laura: I have a similar feeling about our Lady. All the while I was protestant I heard others speak out some aughful things against Our Lords mother. It just makes me shudder to think of what he has to say about those terrible statements.
I'm very thankful that I never felt that way, I was always in awe at the fact that God had created and chosen her to be the perfect christian example and woman to carry his son. Wow! what a responsibility.
God Bless
Betty
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Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
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Truthseeker
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 4th, 2006 |
| Location: | Costa Mesa, California USA |
| Posts: | 347 |
| First Name: | Laura | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | lapsed and returned CATHOLIC!!!!!! |
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 01:55 pm |
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I used to always tell Jesus I was asking Mary to stand with me in prayer, so He would never misunderstand why I was calling upon her. And, I would even adress her that way. "Mary, please bring me to Jesus and....". Now, I am pretty comfortable with, "Mary please help me with...", because Jesus knows I am coming to Him, really, although I do still sometimes be specific, but not out of fear of offending Jesus, anymore, more out of being in communion with Mary while I pray.
Sometimes, I even say the Hail Mary, just to say it, thinking it pleases Jesus. Wow! A short year ago, that would have been a blasphemous thought, to me.
Laura
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Lord, please make my will your Will!
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BettyBoopToo
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
| Posts: | 538 |
| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 02:06 pm |
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Truthseeker wrote: I used to always tell Jesus I was asking Mary to stand with me in prayer, so He would never misunderstand why I was calling upon her. And, I would even adress her that way. "Mary, please bring me to Jesus and....". Now, I am pretty comfortable with, "Mary please help me with...", because Jesus knows I am coming to Him, really, although I do still sometimes be specific, but not out of fear of offending Jesus, anymore, more out of being in communion with Mary while I pray.
Sometimes, I even say the Hail Mary, just to say it, thinking it pleases Jesus. Wow! A short year ago, that would have been a blasphemous thought, to me.
Laura
I remember the insecurity of it all. Boy am I glad thats over with.
God Bless
Betty
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Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
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lia
Member
| Joined: | Mon Dec 11th, 2006 |
| Location: | Quezon City, Philippines |
| Posts: | 86 |
| First Name: | lia | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Dec 12th, 2006 05:01 am |
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Darlene wrote:
P.S.: Just to clarify, it isn't that I denied the POWER of the Holy Spirit, or His importance in the Holy Trinity. Instead, I would pray to the Father or to Jesus and ask them to use the Holy Spirit in a specific situation. Ex: Often I would pray, "Heavenly Father, I ask that You would give me guidance and lead me by the power of the Holy Spirit." I just didn't pray DIRECTLY to the Holy Spirit. Whereas now I feel compelled to acknowledge Him directly.
Darlene,
We have the mystery of the Trinity. If you solved the mystery of God, He wouldn't be God at all. We believe in ONE GOD. The simplest (or maybe it's not that simple) explanation that was taught me is that: There are 3 Persons in One God. 3 Persons with ONE Nature. They act as one. It's like God the Father "thinks", God the Son is the "word" (that the Father thought), and God the Holy Spirit "makes it happen" (the word that was thought of). (Maybe somebody here has a better explanation of what I've just explained  ).
As far as I know, God work as ONE. Whomever I address, I address them all because they don't act independently of each other.
Here's a novena prayer to the Holy Spirit, which I love to pray by itself.
"O, Holy Spirit, third Person of the Blessed Trinity. Spirit of truth, love and holiness. Proceeding from the Father and the Son and equal to them in all things. I adore Thee and love Thee with all my heart. Teach me to know and to seek God by whom and for whom I was created. Fill my heart with holy fear and love of God. Grant me compunction and patience and suffer me not to fall into sin. Give me an increase faith, hope and charity. And bring forth in my soul all the virtues proper to my state of life. Give me the four cardinal virtues, thy 7 gifts, thy 12 fruits. Make me a faithful follower of Jesus and an obedient child of the church. Give me the grace to keep the commandments and to receive the sacraments worthily. Raise me to perfection into the state of life which thou has called me and lead me through a happy death, to everlasting life, through Christ our Lord.
Grant me also, o Holy Spirit Thou who art the giver of all good gifts, the special favor for which I ask.....
O Holy Spirit all these things I ask if it be for Thy greater honor and glory and the good of my soul."
lia
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Man can't b forced 2 accept the truth.He can b drawn toward the truth only by his own nature, that is, by his own freedom w/c commits him 2 search sincerely 4 truth & when he finds it, 2 adhere 2 it both in his conviction & his behavior.-- JP2
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