In days gone by there were very many sequences, but in the Missal of St. Pius V these were reduced to 3, for Easter, Pentecost and Corpus Christi, plus Masses for the Dead, if you count the Dies Irae as a sequence. Nowadays we sing it more often than in the past, as we use it as a hymn for the last week of the Church’s year. We also sing a variety of sequences, in whole or in part, at Benediction or under the guise of hymns. In addition, of course, as Benedictines we have a special sequence for the feasts of St. Benedict.
Our sequence calls the Holy Spirit the “Giver of Gifts” – his proper, personal name, says St. Thomas, is “Gift”. The sequence lists some of those gifts which the Spirit gives, and for which we therefore should ask, because, as Father of the poor – and we are all poor – the Spirit delights to relieve our poverty.
We often find our hearts are darkened, by passions and sins, by uncertainties and doubts, so we ask him to come to us as the light of hearts.
We all have sorrows, whether they be a general sorrow for our sins and infidelities and inability to love God and neighbour as we wish and should, or specific personal sorrows, so we pray to him as the best of consolers, as the guest of our souls. He offers sweet rest and relief.
He is rest from our labours, cooling down in the heat, of whatever kind – anger, passions, any excess – a solace in our sorrows. All we have to do, is open the door of our hearts, invite him in, to fill the deepest crannies of our hearts with light, joy and peace. Without the Holy Spirit, there is nothing in us that is not tainted or infected.
And then the sequence launches into what we could use as a sort of stock-taking, self-examination. “Wash what is filthy”, we ask the Spirit, so I can look into my heart and mind and soul and see what is filthy and needs washing, and invite the Holy Spirit to wash these specific areas.
“Irrigate what is dry”, nothing grows in a drought, there will be no spiritual green shoots without the Spirit. If my heart is dry, there will be no tears of repentance and compunction, which I surely need. “Heal what is wounded, afflicted, stricken with distress or suffering.” Our Lord, in the power of the Spirit, healed every ill, he went about doing good, and still does so.
“Bend what is rigid” – my stiff-necked inability or unwillingness to respond to his love, his teachings, his promptings – let me look at my life and discover those refusals. “Heat up what is cold” – we hear the Gospels, the prophets, the cries of the poor, the oppressed, the needy, and are indifferent, cold and unmoved. Let me seek out specific instances and ask that the fire of the Spirit’s love be kindled in me.
“Straighten out what is bent,” there are so many areas of my life which need straightening out, have been bent for years, and no efforts of mine or anyone else have been able to fix them – but to the infinite power of God the Holy Spirit, this is no problem.
“Give your faithful who trust in you your seven gifts.” Jesus I trust in you, for you promised me your Spirit, and now we receive the Father’s Gift, your Gift, the Holy Spirit.
Crown you work with the final gift of a holy death, with eternal life, the fruit of our baptism, for you made us to seek you, know you, love you, serve you, to be happy with you for ever.
Holy Spirit, hear our prayer, give us your gifts, give us yourself.
DGC