A Reflection on the Holy Spirit's Role in each Life

A Reflection on the Holy Spirit’s Role in each Life

As I write about the very One whom I have fallen in love with over a number of years it reminds me that so much is written about the Third Person of the Holy Trinity that seems to be shelved and not enough people are aware of the depth of love that Christ sends us through his Spirit as well.

Several years ago I wrote an address regarding the Holy Spirit; titled, “My Best Friend - The Holy Spirit.”  The final paragraph in that address I will use as an opener to this article.  Most of it will bring thoughts of what we’ve all heard before but reminds us of who we are speaking about in a personal way.

My best friend is not a metaphor but an actual direct address to the one who is with us from Baptism/Confirmation (receive the gift of the Holy Spirit) until we are blessed at our entrance from this life to our life with God.  The time allotted to us between these two Sacramental events finds us never alone.  He remains within us, always there to keep us from falling away from his endearing love.

If anyone wants to find books written on the Holy Spirit they need not search too far.  Two books that I have used are, “Who has seen the Wind?” by Louis M. Savary, S.J., and “In His Spirit” A guide to Today’s Spirituality” by Richard J. Hauser, S.J.

Both works get into the very essence of God using his Holy Spirit as an emphasis on understanding the same Spirit  in our lives as well.  Fr. Savary uses a profound opening statement by including this question by Robert Louis Stevensom:  “Who has seen the wind?  Neither you or I.  But when the trees bow down their heads The Wind is passing by.”

He continues; When the Holy Spirit is present somewhere there is bound to be a wind because he is the living God who re-creates the face of the earth.  If there is no movement at all in a place it is not likely that the Spirit of God is present there.  (Taken from “The Lord of Confusion” by Ladislas Orsy, S.J

One thought from Savary is; Discovering an Inner Voice, accepting one’s gifts and using them for the community, is self-confirming.  People need no one to tell them, “This is right for you.”  If it’s right, they know it.  

Recognizing the Holy Spirit from Hauser we see the Spirit as Unifier.  Our Christian theological tradition has most often seen the Holy Spirit in the Trinity as the bond of love between the Father and the Son.  Theologians point out that the Spirit works outside the Trinity the same way the Spirit works within the Trinity.  The primary effect of the Spirit acting in people, they   

 conclude, will be love both for God and for one another.

Hauser sees the Spirit as Enlightener and Enabler as well.  There are no hidden attributes that the Spirit does not enhance our lives as a doer with love, and an accepting person with the same love.   

The Holy Spirit is our sanctifier.  This means that the Spirit is active in all our approaches toward God, whether they be in our daily service or in our prayer.  Personal prayer is our expression of our relationship with God under the influence of the Holy Spirit.   (From Hauser).

Using a personal reflection I learned the closeness of the Holy Spirit when he told me after he spoke the words I was going to speak for a homily and couldn't remember;  “You’re always speaking about faith, today I tested yours.”  

We can never discount the presence of the Holy Spirit in day to day needs, and in the decisions that will enhance our souls and those that we are sent to minister with.

White speaking about the Spirit who has no human aspect about himself we may ask how will any of us recognize him?  As human beings we are used to applying a physical form to identify what or who someone is referring to.  Well Jesus through the Incarnation now is 100 % human while still retaining 100 % divinity in the same person.  In John’s Gospel Jesus said to Philip; “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me; Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”  (Jn 14: 9 - 10).  When we are in eternity with the presence of the Holy Trinity, we shall look on Jesus with human eyes and see the complete Trinity in an essence of understanding and that will be enough.  God will speak to us and we shall understand his very presence, not with human eyes but with a divine knowledge of something too far for us now with our finite brain that is limited.  Be assured the three persons of the Trinity are one, and at the same time individually present and we shall understand       

Ralph B. Hathaway