I believe in the Holy Spirit
What if I asked you what does God look like? You probably could describe your image to me – is He an older man with a beard? Is He sitting on a throne?
What if I asked you what does Jesus look like? You probably could draw me a picture. We all have a concrete image engraved on our very hearts.
What if I asked you what does the Holy Spirit look like? What would your answer be? We don’t have a tangible picture to fall upon. We do have biblical images though: flames of fire, wind, a storm, a dove.
The Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity completes all things. He is love personified and animates our very being.
We sometimes find it difficult to define or speak of the Holy Spirit. I know I did until I was challenged by a priest with one of my RCIA sessions. I used the Nicene Creed as my basis for the catechesis.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified
who has spoken through the prophets.
It is said of Jesus that He is completely filled with God’s Spirit; he is conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke. 1:35), the Spirit of God comes down on him (Matt. 3:16), he is driven by the Spirit (Mk. 1:12), he promises his followers the Spirit of truth who will glorify him (Jn. 16:13-14).
So, in these very difficult times that we are living through, are we lifeless, filled with hopelessness and loneliness? Are we living in fear?
It is times like these that we should be turning to God – turning to Jesus – and turning to the Holy Spirit. They are our guides. It is the Holy Spirit who will drag us out of lifelessness, hopelessness and loneliness. In its stead you will find joy, hope, love. And when you get asked, as I did, how did you get out of it? You will be able to answer with confidence, determination, enthusiasm and conviction – with the help of the Holy Spirit! And just like the Apostles who burst out of their locked upper room – we too will be able to burst out and share the joy that Jesus brings to us through the Holy Spirit.
Where can we find Him? In Scripture, in Tradition, in the Church’s teachings and it’s Liturgy. He is manifested in the sacraments, in our prayers where He intercedes for us, in the charisms and gifts each of us are given and in our own personal witness through our word and action.
How can I recognize Him? Through expressions of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22) – summed up as the fruits of the Spirit. How do I achieve all this? The Holy Spirit gifts each of us with wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
We are most certainly not alone for Jesus promised us: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. (John 15-17)
The next time you are feeling alone – just say these few words…
I believe in the Holy Spirit