The Holy Spirit - God's Transforming Power

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Amen.

Take a deep breath, hold it for a second, then say “Amen”. You just sent forth your breath and on that invisible wind was a word. Your breath has power...power to carry your word to others or blow out a candle. Your breath is you, but your breath is sent forth and separate from you. Nobody can see your breath, but when it carries your word or blows out a birthday candle everyone knows the breath was yours.

The Hebrew word for breath or wind is “ruach” (pronounced ROO-akh). But in certain cases the word “ruach” means “spirit”; when it is not just any wind but is the breath of a living person. And we first see this in the Hebrew text of Scripture in Genesis 1:2. “Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the ruach Elohim [Spirit of God] was hovering over the surface of the waters.”

This Ruach Elohim, the Spirit of God, is God’s energy. It is His power to create, to transform and to give life.

In Genesis, God’s Spirit is, at first,  just hovering over the void. The Spirit is waiting for a word from the Father to go into action. When the Father says “Let there be light”, the Spirit is prompted into action and transforms darkenss into light. It is important at this point to understand the Father did not command the Spirit. He prompted the Spirit. For the Father and the Spirit are equal and one. Just as your breath is equal and one with you, but distinct. You blow out the candle without touching it. So here, the Spirit of God transformed the void and chaos into order and created light. The Father continued to send His word, prompting the Spirit to continue creating.

God’s Spirit is different from our spirit, because God’s spirit has the ability to dwell in us with our spirit to lead our spirit. In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit came to certain people so they could accomplish specific tasks for God. The first person in the Bible mentioned to have God’s Spirit was Joseph. 

Joseph was the youngest son of Israel. He was hated by his brothers and sold into slavery. But Joseph didn’t react as most people would. Scripture tells us in Genesis 39:3, “the Lord was with him and he enjoyed great success”. He was the model slave and became his master’s personal attendant. But the master’s wife asked Joseph to have relations with her and, when he refused, she falsely accused him and had him sent to prison. Again, Joseph continued living in the Spirit. He was a model prisoner and put in charge of all the prisoners. The Spirit gave Joseph the gift of interpreting dreams. So when Pharaoh needed some dreams interpreted, he sent for Joseph. Joseph’s wisdom and advice led Pharaoh to say “Could we find another like him, a man so endowed with the ruach Elohim [Spirit of God]?” (Genesis 41:38) These are the same words used for the Spirit of God in creation.

The Spirit of God empowered Joseph to live a Godly life through all his trials, misfortunes and persecutions. Joseph forgave his brothers and became the savior of Israel. Yes, the savior. For there was a great famine and the Israelite nation was starving to death. Joseph brought the Israelite nation into Egypt where they were saved from death by famine. The Spirit of God accomplished the Father’s will to save Israel through Joseph.

So why do we call this Spirit of God the Holy Spirit? This comes from Psalm 51:11 where King David is pleading to God and says to God, “Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Ruach Kodesh from me.” Kodesh is the Hebrew word for holy. So, David is pleading with God not to take His Holy Spirit away because of David’s sins. So now, we refer to the third person of the Trinity as the Holy Spirit.

Lets move on to Mary. The Holy Spirit is with Mary, but again is hovering and waiting. God’s messenger comes to Mary and tells her that she is to be the mother of Jesus. Once Mary speaks the words “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38), the Holy Spirit is prompted into action and conceives within her womb our Lord and Savior. As the Spirit waited for a word from the Father in creation, the Spirit waited for Mary's word in conception. From there, Mary continued to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to complete God’s work.

Jesus began His public ministry after His baptism by John. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and was with Him for His entire ministry on earth. Salvation was a joint mission of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. Jesus brought us the words of eternal life and Jesus died on the cross to save us from Eternal Death. But the Holy Spirit brought Jesus to us through Mary. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the dessert. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus to heal the sick, raise the dead and perform the miracles that revealed His Heavenly nature to us.

Consider...you cannot speak and send forth your words without your ruach, your breath. The Father sends His Word, who is Jesus, by His ruach, the Holy Spirit.

If you want to understand the true partnership between Jesus and the Holy Spirit, consider the part of Mass we call the Epiclesis. That is the part where the priest places his hands over the gifts and prays. The priest does not pray for Jesus to come down from Heaven into the bread and wine. No. The prayer is “Father, we bring you these gifts. We ask you to make them holy by the power of your Spirit, that they may become the body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ...” The priest, by his prayer, prompts the Holy Spirit to transform the bread and wine into the true body and blood of Jesus. The Eucharist does not represent Jesus nor is Jesus simply present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist IS Jesus, your God and Savior, by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. It is chilling, when you really think about it.

At the ascension of Jesus, He told the Apostles “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you”. (Acts 1:8) Before the Holy Spirit descended, the Apostles were weak and fearful. They had little understanding of any of the parables of Jesus nor comprehended the true meaning of His death and resurrection. Peter, in particular was the worst of all. He would not have been anybody else’s choice to become the first Pope. When he met Jesus he said “Depart from me for I am a sinner”, when Jesus told him to walk on the water he lost faith and sank, he did not want Jesus to wash his feet, he fell asleep in the garden, denied Jesus three times, left Him at the cross and went back to fishing after Jesus was buried. Not a good choice for Pope. I personally believe that Jesus may have chosen Peter to be Pope only to show us how powerful the Holy Spirit is in transforming us. Once Peter submitted to the Holy Spirit, he was empowered to lead the church through that difficult first century of formation and persecution.

So what does all this mean for you and me?

Maybe you are wondering, “Can I receive the Holy Spirit” or “How do I know the Holy Spirit is in me”? The answer to these questions is extremely simple. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in all believers at Baptism. It is important for us to not look at Joseph, Jesus and Peter and think that the Holy Spirit lives only in special people with a great mission for God. Holiness and the Holy Spirit are for all believers and not just for special people we might call Saints.

Consider what happened to Peter in Acts chapter ten. Peter went to the house of Cornelius, a gentile centurion. Peter preached to Cornelius and his household. While Peter was speaking, “the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.” (Acts 10:44) In response, Peter baptized them all.

The Holy Spirit first opens our eyes and reveals Jesus to us. Then, the Holy Spirit is fully received at baptism, that we can live as Jesus and be a light to the world. We help the Holy Spirit when we bring the light of Christ into the darkness and chaos of the world.

Jesus tells us, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26) We need the Holy Spirit to teach us and remind us of our Christian duty to live like Jesus and be lights to the world. So there is no question, if you are baptized, you have the Holy Spirit today.

So, the question is not IF you have the Holy Spirit. The question is have you PROMPTED the Holy Spirit to empower and transform you; and do you follow the lead of the Holy Spirit? So now, you may be asking “How do I know I have released the Holy Spirit within me?” This answer is also simple. It is fruit.

If you were shown an orchard and asked to pick out the apple tree, you would pick the tree with apples on it. Apples on a tree not only prove it is an apple tree, but also show the tree is alive. So too, you and the whole world will be able to recognize the Holy Spirit is alive in you by the fruit of your life.

We read in Galatians Chapter five, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. The easiest way to check whether or not you are alive in the Holy Spirit is to do an examination of conscience focusing on the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

We need to focus on the last fruit first, because it is the most obvious sign whether or not the Holy Spirit is alive in us. Let’s look at self-control. The sign of self-control in your life is this...you do not ever commit a mortal sin. Think about what mortal sin is. The Curch says “To choose deliberately - both knowing it and willing it - something gravely contrary to the divine law and to the ultimate end of man is to commit a mortal sin.” (Catechism, 1874) When you consider the Ten Commandments, you can’t break any of these without a desire to break them, planning and purposeful disobedience. We, of ourselves, don’t have the self-control to obey God and avoid mortal sin. When the Holy Spirit empowers self-control in us, we have the willpower to overcome that desire to violate God’s Divine Law. This is usually the first sign that the Spirit is working in us. If there is currently any mortal sin in your life, the Spirit is still in you, but not alive in you. And you need to prompt the Spirit into action to transform you. Start there.

Examining the rest of the fruits can be tricky, because none of us will ever achieve sinless perfection. Even the best of apple trees will produce a rotten apple now and then. If there are only a few rotten apples, the tree is still thriving. It is only when the majority of apples are rotten that the tree itself can be considered rotten.

So we ask...what is the majority of my fruit? Is it my rule in life to love all people regardless of who they are or what they’ve done? Am I normally joyful and at peace every day in all circumstances? Am I usually patient, kind and gentle in my approach to even the most annoying of people? Am I generous with my time, talent and treasure or do I only give to God and others what is left over? Am I faithful every day in praying and worshiping God? Am I faithful to my spouse, my family, my employer and the Church?

We understand that situations like being sick, tired, frustrated or surprised can produce a bad apple now and then. But if the fruits of the Spirit are not obvious in us, then the Holy Spirit is not alive and working in us. It is like having the power go out in your house. Everything is turned off and there is darkness. There is a generator sitting in the corner waiting for you to start it up, but you don’t.

Remember, the Holy Spirit hovers over the void, the darkness, the chaos. The Holy Spirit does not act on His own nor take over our life once we accept Jesus as Lord. The Father prompted the Spirit by saying  “Let there be light!”. Mary prompted the Spirit by saying “Be it done unto me”. The priest prompts the Spirit by saying “Make these gifts holy”.

If you do not see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life, then prompt the Spirit into action. Say “Let there be light in me”, “Be it done unto me according to God’s will”, “Make me holy”. Then, follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. As Paul tells us, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

Here is a prayer you can pray every day to release the Holy Spirit...

Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you. I love you.

Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it.

I promise to submit to You and abide to everything you ask of me. I promise to accept everything You allow to happen to me. Just show me what is Your Holy will.

Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten my mind to perceive the mysteries of the universe and eternity.

Spirit of right judgement and courage, guide me and make me firm in my Baptismal vows to follow Jesus.

Spirit of God, spark my faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill my life with wonder and awe in Your presence which penetrates all creation.

Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Amen.

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