“I believe in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;” this can be only a verbal declaration that lacks inner living force. Many persons say what they think that they know but they do not understand what they say. Oftentimes, we proclaim God the Holy Spirit, but it may surprise you that a vast number of us do not know Who the Holy Spirit is. When we speak in tongues, and think that we have received the Holy Spirit, is that all? We invoke the Holy Spirit for healing, and healing comes, is that all about the Holy Spirit? This reflection becomes more urgent as the Lord Himself has kept urging, “speak about the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit has been starved so terribly of love. His yearning in our hearts, in the world, and in the Church now calls for unavoidable attention. How can anyone experience His power when he or she does not love Him; how can one say he loves the Holy Spirit when he does not relate with Him?
The Holy Spirit is not just a wind, a cloud, a dove, pillar of fire, etc., He is a Person. He has feelings; He can be hurt and can be displeased. He lives in us. He does not just want to use us speak in tongues or perform miracles; He is looking for concrete affectionate relationship. He possesses all our body: our heart, eyes, ears, mind, feet, etc, all our length and breadth. What does it mean that He indwells in your body? It means that He lives in totality and should not just be subjected to a particular action but all actions. He wants to talk with us, dine with us, laugh with us, pray with, suffer with us, etc. He wants to drive with us when we drive, He wants to relax with us when we watch movies. He crisscrosses, immerses, consumes, and appropriates all our being, and He wants all because He gives Himself all. Many have sidetracked Him for so long, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body” (I Cor.6:19).
Do you seek to encounter God? Do you desire to have a relationship with God? God is present among us now principally through the Holy Spirit. He is the main actor among the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity in the world now. The Father was the main actor during Creation; Jesus came to redeem and was the main actor while He was physically among us on earth. Before He ascended into heaven, He said that the Holy Spirit was coming, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you” (Jn. 14:16-17). He is here physically from the Pentecost, and one cannot have relationship with God without encountering the Holy Spirit. He is the One Who leads us to the Son and the Father; we cannot please God without the Holy Spirit; we cannot love the Lord Jesus without the Holy Spirit. Christian life becomes so hard without the Holy Spirit. Sin conquers us; sickness overwhelms us; panic and anxiety assault the serenity of our body and soul when we ignore the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our HELPER; He helps us conquer the devil, sin, and the world. Remember, not by might nor by strength that we overcome sin or satan, but by the Spirit of the Lord Who lives in us.
All of us need the outpouring of May 31st.
Yes, we may say that we love the Holy Spirit but is there no way to prove that? He is celebrated, in a special way, once in year during the Pentecost. We observe novena for the birth of Jesus Christ all advent, and for some of our patron Saints, we observe a novena ahead of their feats days, how does it happen that many of us have no plan for the great celebration of the Holy Spirit coming on May 31st, just two weeks from now. The Church of the Acts of the Apostles, I mean the Church founded by our Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, observed days of prayer ahead of the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). Let us join them so that we can experience His power, love, communion, wonders and signs.
Fr. Ignatius Mary Okoroji SDV
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