Friday, January 17, 2020

Do you think much about the Holy Spirit?

Dear Parishioners,

At the baptism of Jesus, we hear about the Spirit of God coming upon him, resting on him as a dove. The Holy Spirit is one of those more mysterious aspects of God. The Spirit is the third person of God behind the Father and the Son. But it is not a lesser person of God. In our deacon formation, we were told that the Holy Spirit emanates from the love between God the Father and the Son. Their love is so powerful that from it comes the greatest force of the world, the Holy Spirit. There is gravity and magnetism, but the Spirit is the force of God that has powerful effects upon us. I do not think that I could be a deacon without the Holy Spirit. It is that passage in Matthew, where Jesus sends the disciples out and tells them that the Spirit will tell them what to say in times of trouble. The Spirit was given to us by God so that we may walk in the way of Christ.  

Do you think much about the Holy Spirit? It is an energizing power that opens us up and guides us. We receive it in the Sacraments. It is the echo of God reminding us in our hearts and minds to live in peace with love and mercy toward others. It gives us great gifts. It moves us in the way of God. It is a wise counsel. Maybe take a chance and pray to the Holy Spirit. There is a wonderful prayer to the Holy Spirit that goes like this,
“Come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.”
We are certainly in need of renewal.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve