Da virtutis meritum, Grant the reward of virtue,
da salutis exitum, grant the deliverance of salvation,
da perenne gaudium. grant eternal joy.
Amen. Alleluia. Amen. Alleluia.
At the Last Supper, Jesus tells his disciples, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). These “things” Jesus has spoken of are the unity of Christians in the one body of Christ, the command to love one another, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the promise of an eternal home in the Father’s house. These things bring us joy, almost automatically! And they are, in a very real way, a gift and consequence of the action of the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit comes to us, he brings with him the virtues of faith, hope, and charity to dwell in the soul and give it life. He infuses all of our other human virtues with supernatural life and power – virtues like our Justice, Fortitude, Prudence, and Temperance, among others. He makes us into children of God our heavenly Father, and heirs to the eternal kingdom of heaven. He binds us to Jesus as members – limbs – of his mystical body. He draws our souls in a generally invisible way into the love-life of the Holy Trinity, so that the Father loves us with the love he has for the Son.
In other words, the Holy Spirit makes deliverance, salvation, and eternal joy possible for us. He not only makes it possible, but he makes it so much more beautiful, deep, and incredible than any eternity of simply “human life” could be. He grants us the gift of an eternal “divine life.” That is the gift of God. He wants us to share in HIS glory and HIS love for all eternity. Eternal divine life is inexhaustible, ever deepening, and forever joyful.
In the here and now, however, it doesn’t always feel so good. We don’t get a clear view of that eternal joy here on earth. So often, in this “valley of tears,” we suffer in pain, darkness, and fog, even when the Spirit is with us, filling our souls with his life. He acts in a generally unseen and unfelt way, yet gives us the guarantee of faith, hope, and charity through it all. In fact, the best measure for his work here and now in this life is not good feelings and a sense of power coursing through us. The best measure of his presence and work in us is our continual growth in actual charity lived out in faithful loving actions toward God and our human brothers and sisters.
Therefore, in this time before eternity, we pray constantly. We pray for the Holy Spirit to come and fill us. We pray for his fire to light our way and melt our hard hearts. We pray for the refreshing dew of his presence to cool the earthly fire of our passions. We pray for his light to fill our intellects and wills so that we see clearly what is good, true, and holy, and do it. We pray for his presence, his comfort, his rest, his love, and the peace that only he can give.
The Father and the Son are pleased to pour out the Holy Spirit upon us in abundance (see Luke 11:13). They want us to be on fire and in love. May we all be filled with that heavenly fire and so set the world on fire. Jesus wants that! Come Holy Spirit, set us on fire with your love!