By Sister Miriam Therese Callnan
Creative Spirit, come descend,
Visit these souls of thine,
Guide and inspire, support, amend
With influence benign.
While seldom thinking and praying in such stylized language now, I have this deep connection with the strong verbs in this prayer-canticle and return to them frequently.
How often do I call on God’s Creative Spirit in life’s many dilemmas; in an unforeseen mix up; in those awkward moments we all experience or have created for ourselves; in partisan political or cultural discussions?
Guide me in this conversation. Inspire me to listen carefully; to distinguish between the surface words and actions and the deeper message which I’m likely to miss on my own. Inspire me to see how to promote peace and gentleness in a fractious exchange. Support my feeble efforts at discernment. Amend my usual rush to judgment.
Light up in us, this sacred fire,
Reanimate our hearts.
Cherish, support, direct, inspire,
And Thy whole self impart.
For me, the Paraclete is fire and light which surrounds us and warms us. In the cold and dark I’m dull, cramped, stiff, unseeing, numb. I call to our Creative Spirit to come, descend; visit me; stay with me; reanimate me; enlighten me.
Give me the Father here to know,
To love and praise the Son,
And Thee, the Spirit of the two,
United all in One.
“United all in One” is very precious to me. There is so much division and controversy all around us. When I’m praying for enlightenment, unity in the Godhead comforts me and calls to me to tune into how much I yearn for unity. Then I’m challenged to see where and how I am trying to bring unity to our world. Ah, there’s the rub.
Creative Spirit, come descend…