Lastly, we ought to pray to and invoke the Holy Spirit, for
each one of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is
deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin,
so ought he the more to fly to Him who is the never-ceasing fount of light,
strength, consolation, and holiness. And chiefly that first requisite of man,
the forgiveness of sins, must be sought for from Him: "It is the special
character of the Holy Ghost that He is the Gift of the Father and the Son. Now the remission of sins is given by the
Holy Ghost as by the Gift of God" (Summ. Th., 3a, q. iii, a. 8, ad
3m). Concerning this Spirit the words of
the Liturgy are very explicit: "For He is the remission of all sins"
(Roman Missal, Tuesday after Pentecost). How He should be invoked is clearly
taught by the Church, who addresses Him in humble supplication, calling upon
Him by the sweetest of names: "Come, Father of the poor! Come, Giver of
gifts! Come, Light of our hearts! O, best of Consolers, sweet Guest of the
soul, our refreshment!" (Hymn, Veni Sancte Spiritus). She earnestly
implores Him to wash, heal, water our minds and hearts, and to give to us who
trust in Him "the merit of virtue, the acquirement of salvation, and joy
everlasting." Nor can it be in any way doubted that He will listen to such
prayer, since we read the words written by His own inspiration: "The Spirit
Himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings" (Rom. 8.26). Lastly, we
ought confidently and continually to beg of Him to illuminate us daily more and
more with His light and inflame us with His charity: for, thus inspired with
faith and love, we may press onward earnestly towards our eternal reward, since
He "is the pledge of our inheritance" (Eph. 1.14)
-- from The Abiding
Presence of the Holy Ghost in the Soul by Bede Jarrett (references in the original)
