Mass Readings and Scripture Reflections

Happy Pentecost Sunday! I love the Holy Spirit and really enjoy thinking about my relationship with it. The Spirit is a Supporter, Comforter, Advocate, Helper, and Guide for us and I need all those things often. I would like to share a few of my favorite things I have learned about the Holy Spirit:

 

First, in the original Old Testament Hebrew the word for Spirit is “ruakh,” and in New Testament Greek it is “pneuma.” The fascinating thing about this is that these words are also used for breath, life-force, wind, and soul. We see these words used in moments like God breathing over the chaos to begin Creation, empowering people to do great acts on behalf of God, Jesus breathing the Spirit out onto the disciples like we see in our Gospel, or the wind rushing over the disciples at Pentecost. In other words, the Spirit is powerful, it is within us, it empowers us, and it is as close to us as the air we breathe!

 

Next, I invite you to consider how you imagine how you picture the Holy Spirit in your mind. Recently, I’ve liked the image of an electrical current that flows between us as we receive Sacraments, pray for each other, and share Christ-like love. However, the most often image you’ll see in artwork is a white dove. I heard a theologian talk about this recently and why they don’t like this image. White doves are rare and hard to find, but for this theologian, the Holy Spirit is everywhere! We can find its work and movements everywhere if we open our eyes and ears. Their suggestion: the pigeon! It is easy to ignore pigeons, but once you look for them you start seeing them all over the place. It is the same with the Holy Spirit, practice using your spiritual eyes and you’ll begin to see its presence a lot more often.

 

Finally, we receive a Baptism in water and are sealed in the Spirit in our Confirmation. Both of these sacraments, though, are tied profoundly back to Pentecost. We use these physical signs to show what is happening within us, but what is supposed to be happening within us is the lighting of a fire! Do you live your life like you are on fire for your faith? Here’s how you check: Take a moment in prayer, do an examination of conscience, be really honest with yourself, then consider the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. As Christians who have received the Holy Spirit, these fruits ought to be visible—all of them, not just some. If not, I invite you to consider a return to the Sacraments and to get involved in the awesome ministries of our parish, which can help us rediscover the fire and help us produce those fruits!