St. Philip Neri, Pray for Us!

In his Wednesday Catechesis last week, Pope Benedict XVI addressed those who are struggling to pray. He said:

…prayer is above all the work of the Holy Spirit within our hearts, the fruit of God’s presence within us. The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness, teaching us to pray to the Father through the Son. In the eighth chapter of the Letter to the Romans, Paul tells us that the Spirit intercedes for us, unites us to Christ and enables us to call God our Father. In our prayer, the Holy Spirit grants us the glorious freedom of the children of God, the hope and strength to remain faithful to the Lord amid our daily trials and tribulations, and a heart attentive to the working of God’s grace in others and in the world around us.

There are times in our lives when prayer becomes difficult, and usually these times are when we need God most. Simply asking the Holy Spirit to teach us how to pray is a strong prayer in itself, bound to bring us hope and strength.

St. Philip Neri, whose feast we celebrate today, often asked for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. One time in prayer, while he was earnestly seeking the Holy Spirit, a flame entered his mouth and took a place in his chest. His heart miraculously caught fire, and after bearing his breast to cool himself, St. Philip joyously felt his heart swell. Doctors later discovered that his heart dilated due to the sudden impulse of heavenly love.

The Holy Spirit gives us amazing gifts when we sincerely ask for them. As we prepare for Pentecost, let us ask the Holy Spirit for fruitful prayers and hearts ablaze with love for God and man.

St. Philip Neri, pray for us!