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The Story of the Church

Having had the privilege to travel to the Holy Land and actually stand inside THE upper room, I have come to better appreciate the events of the Resurrection up through the Descent of the Holy Spirit known as Pentecost. Keeping in mind that we have the perspective of the whole story, the apostles did not. When Jesus was crucified, his apostles were devastated and lost. They were afraid, as their lives were in danger because they knew Him. In a pit of sorrow, huddled together in the upper room, Jesus gloriously appeared and was most certainly not a ghost. Simultaneously, He is appearing to his followers, namely, the two men on the road to Emmaeus, as well as others as is later shared through the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles and disciples continue to learn more and gain further direction. Then, He leaves. Just like that. I am sure they asked themselves, “Now what?”. Peter, as the leader, works to inspire them to go out and share everything they have learned. They hesitate. They doubt their abilities. They question if they have it right. In that fear and doubt, the Holy Spirit arrives, fills them with a fire that can’t be contained – a fire for spreading the Good News. Thus begins our story, the story of the Church.

Are you on fire?

I came to appreciate the Holy Spirit later in my faith journey. I just didn’t understand the power that resides within the third person of the Trinity. What eventually got me there was a conversion while teaching eighth graders. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate. An advocate is one who works on our behalf, always making sure that we are safe and protected. We are gifted with the Holy Spirit at Baptism and then again at Confirmation. The Spirit resides with us. With the Spirit we have wisdom, knowledge, courage, understanding, counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord. Having fear of the Lord means that one is mindful of His power and majesty and act accordingly. It is an awareness of our need for humility and surrender to His will. When we exercise these gifts, we experience charity (love), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. These virtues are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These are all things that help us to be the best versions of ourselves for God’s greater glory. The Holy Spirit makes us the image of Jesus in the world when we pay attention and work with It.

Holy Spirit, command me to do your will. Please work in me, with me, and through me for God’s greater glory.

Aha! Moments

Have you ever had an “aha” moment?  One of those flashes of surprise or awe when something unexpected happens? I am always astonished when one of those moments happen either to me or to someone else. One might say, “Oh, it’s a coincidence,” but is it really? If you take a closer look at today’s second reading at Mass, you’ll find the explanation to those coincidences. Of course, it’s the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, which dwells in all of us, knows exactly what we need, when we need it, expressing those needs to the Father in “inexpressible groanings.” And the one who searches hearts (the Father) knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will. (Romans 8:27) That’s when the aha moments happen, particularly when we need them most, to boost our faith, or push us in the other direction when we are in doubt or fear. So, the next time you feel the holy coincidence, know that the Spirit is at work in your life.

Fire in the Belly

If you’re like me, you learned as a child that the Holy Spirit is a dove. This is the traditional symbol for the presence of the Holy Spirit in Scripture and religious art. I held this image for much of my life. The image of a dove isn’t one that I could relate to unlike the images of God the Father and Jesus which are human in nature. As a person who is not a big fan of birds, the Holy Spirit was a distant entity of the Trinity for me. That was until about 2007 when I read the book, "The Shack," by William P. Young. While this is not a theologically accurate book, it is an interesting piece of fiction that made me grapple with the very content that I was teaching my fourth grade students at the time, and my own understanding and appreciation of the Holy Spirit. The concept of the Holy Spirit was prevalent in the religion curriculum as it related to the sacraments of initiation. I needed to spend time with students engaging in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This was the perfect storm for a conversion moment – a compelling novel, new understanding of the Holy Spirit, and moral responsibility to teach the Truth. Working through all that was before me, I developed a deeper, more profound connection and relationship with the Holy Spirit. It is less about the dove and more about the fire. The fire that descended upon the disciples at Pentecost and burned in their bellies to give them the zeal and fortitude to carry out Jesus’s mission for all time. Every morning, I now ask the Holy Spirit to be with me and guide me, to grant me the gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and courage to do what the Lord needs me to do. I can do all things through God, the Holy Spirit, who strengthens me. I have come to appreciate that the Holy Spirit is the power. The Holy Spirit is the force. The Holy Spirit is the energy brought out through love of God and love of Jesus.