St Augustine's Prayer of The Holy Spirit As A Blessing

This Easter Season I am preaching a series on encountering the 'Power of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts and in our Lives today'. I've called the series 'Fire and Wind' after the two signs of  a sound like a rushing wind and tongues of fire mentioned as accompanying the coming of the promised Holy Spirit in Acts 2, and the wind and fire being symbols of the Holy Spirits activity from the Hebrew Scriptures. I've also found an image which I think expresses those two Symbols and combines them in a way that reflects the burning bush, which is the Symbol/logo of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand...

I have been enjoying using prayers from our long Christian heritage as part of our services at St  Peter's and for this series and leading into Pentecost we have been using St Augustine's Prayer of the Holy Spirit, which I have altered slightly to fit a corporate blessing for the end of our public worship services. On our PowerPoint we use a slide which has a kereru behind the words, The Kereru is the New Zealand native wood pigeon and has for me become a symbol of the Holy Spirit's presence and God has often used it my life to guide me and give encouragement.

Once again I simply share it with people as they might find it useful for personal reflection or for services coming up to Pentecost.

Breathe into us, Holy Spirit, that our thoughts may all be holy.

Move in us, Holy Spirit, that our work, too, may be holy.

Attract our hearts, Holy Spirit, that we may love only what is holy.

Strengthen us, Holy Spirit, that we may defend all that is holy.

Protect us, Holy Spirit, that we may always be holy.

- Saint Augustine