Begin by taking a moment to calm yourself, focus on your breathing and become aware of the life force that flows through your veins. Center yourself in the words and affections of St. Augustine’s Prayer to the Holy Spirit, “Breath in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.” Sanctifying, bringing things to wholeness, blessing, restoring and creating are just some of the fruits of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not always about proclaiming loud cries of praise or singing alleluia from a roof top. It is about unfolding and encountering the ordinary in an extraordinary way. Being filled with the Holy Spirit means being filled with the fullness of God’s life and in touch with the power and wonder of God’s presence. It’s about becoming holy.
It is not just for saints or people who have a religious vocation. Holiness is for the ordinary, simple run- of-the-mill person who desires to love God, others, and all of creation. When an ordinary, humble person becomes connected with life and the wondrous power of God’s love, they begin to live life more deeply, a bit more reverently, desire a simple fare and find themselves relishing in ordinary beauty. Their senses become attuned to the Author of life and they realize that they are not alone. The Holy Spirit connects all of the dots of human experience and existence, bringing everyone to center on the Divine Presence. The Holy Spirit does not just breathe “on me” but “in me” and is the force behind every breath I take. Take a moment to soak that thought in. There is the Divine Presence of the Holy Spirit in me, right now. When a person becomes in touch with truth, they know that when inspired by the Holy Spirit, his or her actions are not solely their own. They realize that they are moved by Divine Grace and drawn to things not found in secular affairs.
We live in a world where it is hard to discover truth. Real truth is veiled by so many imposters that it is hard to find, especially for those who are young. It is easy to get fooled and duped and often, without full conscious awareness of doing so, we choose to walk down a path of self-absorption and destruction. It is only the Holy Spirit, through the ministry of the church most especially, who guides us to truth and shows us the way to be the graced and holy human beings God made us to be. The wonders and inspirations of today’s Feast of Pentecost are necessary to share with both those we love and those who only casually cross our paths. The first disciples, touched by the Holy Spirit, brought the Gospel to the ends of the earth one step at a time. Is it unrealistic to ask that we assist in that same mission by helping people understand who they are and who God is one at a time? Ask the Holy Spirit to alleviate the fear in your heart that prevents you from doing so.
©LPi