You're listening to the 10-day devotion to the Holy Spirit on the St. Jose Maria Institute podcast.

The prayers and reflections for this devotion are taken from the Handbook of Prayers,

published by Midwest Theological Forum.

This long-standing custom of the church in preparation for Pentecost is an opportunity to ask the Holy Spirit

to strengthen our hearts and make firm resolutions for our interior lives.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

Come Holy Spirit, enlighten my understanding in order that I may know your commands.

Strengthen my heart against the snares of the enemy.

Enkindle my will. I have heard your voice, and I do not want to harden my heart and the snares of the enemy, and kindle my will. I have heard your voice,

and I do not want to harden my heart, and resist saying, later, tomorrow, right now,

lest there be no tomorrow for me. O spirit of truth and of wisdom, spirit of understanding and

of counsel, spirit of joy and of peace. I want what you want, because

you want it, as you want it, when you want it. Day 3. From the homily, the great unknown by St.

Jose Maria Escriva. Let me tell you about an event in my own personal life.

That happened to me many years ago.

One day I was with a friend of mine, a man who had a good heart, but who did not have faith.

Pointing at a globe, he said, look from north to south, from east to west.

What do you want me to look at? I asked.

His answer was,

The failure of Christ. For 20 centuries, people have been trying to bring his doctrine to men's

lives, and look at the result. I was filled with sadness. It is painful to realize that many

people still do not know our Lord, and that among those who do know him, many live as though

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