Holy Spirit, Come, O Come.

John 7: 37-39 ‘On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. ‘

Having celebrated Pentecost yesterday, we commence this week focusing on prayers that encourage us to become a-tuned to the promised comforting Spirit. We start today with a prayer found on the “Singing the Faith Website”.

“God’s Spirit is approaching
Through time, across continents, soaring over creation
God’s Spirit is speaking
Whispering and comforting, roaring and challenging
God’s Spirit surrounds us
Beyond touch, warmly embracing
God’s Spirit transforms us
Making our horizons wider
our faith stronger
our hopes possible

Here, now, God’s Spirit is working.
Through bread and wine,
through our hands and our lips,
all things are made new.

Creator God,
like a bird you hovered over the chaos of the world’s first day,
drawing life from crashing waves
and making a world of possibility.
You hovered still over parting waters,
liberating an enslaved people,
guiding them forward with cloud and fire,
nurturing your followers and sharing your love.

Like a still, small voice
you made your presence felt to
prophets and healers,
to a people in exile,
and young mothers-to-be.
In the life of Jesus
your healing touch was felt
and all were made welcome.

Like flickering embers dancing into flame,
you revived those who looked for you,
inspiring their speech and startling onlookers.
Undeterred by death, you delivered
creative power,
transforming determination
and your eternal, supporting presence.

And she nurtures us still,
around the table made for sharing,
offering bread and wine
to celebrate, to be ourselves,
to meet God and listen to the world around us.”

Well might we pray:- (Singing the Faith 372)

1 Come down, O Love divine, 

seek thou this soul of mine, 

and visit it with thine own ardor glowing; 

O Comforter, draw near, 

within my heart appear, 

and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing. Amen