"Come, O Holy Spirit! fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of thy love." Alas! for those who do not realize this great truth. By their rejection of Jesus Christ and the new birth unto God in Baptism, they remain for ever in the lower sphere of the simple creature, with no hope of the enrapturing vision of the Blessed Trinity when their souls shall have passed beyond this human life, in which the choice of that higher destiny is given to them. This is the first thought suggested to us by the opening invocation of the sequence of the Mass.
And now the sentiment of the sequence suddenly changes. Though we be so exalted by the Divine relationship, though the light of Heaven's glory is beaming upon our footsteps as we advance towards it, and our loosened tongues cry out with St. Paul, "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!" [Footnote 33] yet what is our human life now compared with the Heavenly Life in God! It is a blessed truth to me, some of us say, and a hope that I would not part with for life; but though inexhaustible riches, and crowns and harps of gold, are waiting for me in the kingdom of the Heavenly Father, here I am poor, here my heart is too sad to sing.
[Footnote 33: Rom. xi. 33.]
Though there I shall possess wisdom, to which the wisdom of this world is foolishness, yet here I am ignorant. There shall be no want, I know; but here I am ever in want. I cry, Give, give, and my soul is never satisfied. There, in the light of glory, shall be peace, rest, and victory; but here is toil, strife, temptation, defeat, and my heart is oft darkened within me, even to forget my God. Hark what the Holy Church inspires you to say:
"Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
Veni, Pater pauperum,
Veni, dator munerum,
Veni, lumen cordium!"
"Come, O Holy Spirit!
Come, O Father of the poor!
Come, O giver of every gift!
Come, O light of every heart!"
Are you poor? Repine not, for Jesus has said it is a blessed state. God loves you, and has given you poverty, that through it you may receive the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. Money is the riches of man, but the comforting grace of the Holy Ghost is the riches of God; and the poor may have that easily if they will. God has deprived you of the things of this world that you may set your heart on Him. Wonder not that thousands of Christians have left all, and vowed themselves to poverty, that they may get the grace of God easily, like you. Ask for grace, then, poor man, and your requests shall be quickly granted. Cry with the Holy Church—Veni, Pater pauperum! Come, O Father of the poor! and the Comforter will come, and pour out upon you a flood of graces that shall make your heart sing for joy. Then you will say with the Psalmist, enjoying nothing here below, "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; it is Thou who wilt restore my inheritance to me." [Footnote 34]
[Footnote 34: Ps. xv. 5.]
[USCCB: Ps. xvi. 5.]
Are you in ignorance of what is best for you here and hereafter? Is it hard for you to think of God? Lift up your heart, and say—Veni, Sancte Spiritus! Veni, dator munerum! Come, O Giver of every good and perfect gift!—and you shall receive the Comforter's gift of Divine Wisdom.
Are you ignorant of the truths of faith, or do they seem difficult to you and beyond your grasp? Pray—Veni, dator munerum!—and the Comforter will bestow upon you the light of the gift of understanding.