
With the Solemnity of Pentecost this past Sunday, the image of the Holy Spirit is still fresh in our minds. For the Apostles, this was a very visceral experience rather than a think tank session. The Holy Spirit came down like a strong wind as Saint Luke described it in Acts 2:2. What it must have been like to have been in that room! When we think of the Holy Spirit we often think of a feeling of peace or calm coming over us. While this is true, the Spirit has a little more of a complex role than that in our lives. You see, to receive this new Spirit of peace we must make room within ourselves for it. The Spirit constantly conforms us to Christ and to His Will. This creates a friction between the Holy Spirit and ourselves. We still want to do the things we used to do. Which some things are okay! Christ allows us to keep our individuality while using our gifts and strengths for the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s the old, bad habits that the Spirit does not get along with very well. Sorta like bad roommates. You can’t have someone who is clean and tidy living with someone who doesn’t have the capacity for cleanliness.
So with that bad roommate situation still in your mind, ask yourself, “Did I make room for the Holy Spirit to move in my life this Pentecost? How can I make that happen everyday?” Creating a spiritual discipline like this is difficult, if not impossible. However, the Spirit is patient and kind, He knows what a task it is for us humans to strip away the bad parts of ourselves to allow room for a new Spirit of truth. We have heard it said, oppression of the poor is a sin that “cries to heaven for vengeance.” Yet we see Christian leaders or Christians in positions of power, almost go out of their way to make life for the poor even harder than it already is for them. They have not allowed the new Spirit to take over their old self! They have not allowed themselves to be vulnerable enough to say, “I have sinned against You and your people Lord. I have done wrong to these people and they have suffered because of me. Show me the right way, let Your Spirit guide me!” This is true Christian humility. The Spirit comes to humble us, helping us find room for Christ in ourselves so that we may serve Him and His Church. We must only allow ourselves to be open to the idea that we might not always get it right the first time.
Seek the Spirit that He may conform your will to Christs. Seek out how you can make both those big and small changes in your life to reflect the image of Christ. Seek to see Christ in everyone you meet each day. Show them how an old self can make room for a New Spirit.
Peace be with you my friends ✝️
🫶🏽👏🏽🙌🏽