Three days preparation for Pentecost Thursday
Have Space for Holy Spirit and be greatful to God
My Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Do you have some space for the Holy Spirit in your heart or is it filled with someone or something? Many here may be familiar with the experience, or at least the story, of a scene that was fairly common a few decades ago. At a dance at a Catholic high school, if a young couple were clinging a bit too closely to each other during a dance, a teacher, usually a nun in habit in the story, would approach the couple with a scowl, tap them on the shoulder and say simply and forcefully: “Leave room for the Holy Spirit.” One thing this means is making sure that we go about seeking, searching, waiting and groaning in a way that will allow the Spirit to guide us in the quest for wisdom and truth. It means making sure that the questions we ask of life, of ourselves and of God are big enough to leave lots of room for the Holy Spirit to work in them.
And here are two even bigger questions, for all Christians who know that we need the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us: “How will I discern my true vocation in life: something more than just a job or an interest, but a calling from God to a certain way of living; to a set of commitments which both focus my life’s energies and set me free to become more fully my true self?” Or this one: “How can I, as a Christian, respect, protect, and learn to love all human beings, from the unborn to the impaired to convicted criminals to known terrorists?” These questions have room in them for the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God, have faith also in me. … I will go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am, you may also be. … I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This is what we are truly searching for: the untroubled heart that comes from knowing Christ as our way, our truth, our life in all the questions we face. We don’t usually realize it, but what we are seeking is that deep relationship with Christ which will transform us; we are groaning and waiting to be so united with Christ that he takes possession of our lives and casts out all our fear. We want to be able to say with St. Paul that it is “no longer I, but Christ who lives within me.” Then his joy will be in us and our joy will be complete. Christ’s love is what we search and seek and wait and groan for.
Let us try and develop an "attitude of gratitude," a habit of saying three little worlds: Thank you God. I believe this simple, little attitude can go a long way in starting us on the way to unity. I must thank God for my neighbor, my friend and all they do to make my life better. I must thank God for giving them their gifts and talents that hopefully they will use for my benefit. I will thank God daily for my own gifts and talents that I am able to use to serve others. We are all unique human beings. We are all destined by God to help each other, to respect each other, to thank each other, to affirm each other. This can begin today in our own families, in our work places, in our schools, in our parishes, wherever. This is certainly one way for unity to begin in our corner of the world. Keep some space for Holy Spirit.
St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me O Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy;
Act in me O Holy Spirit that my works, too, may be holy;
Draw my heart O Holy Spirit that I love but what is holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit to defend that is holy;
Guard me then O Holy Spirit that I always may be holy.
Cardinal Mercier's Prayer to the Holy Spirit*
O Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it. I promise to be submissive in everything that You permit to happen to me, only show me what is Your will.
Do you have some space for the Holy Spirit in your heart or is it filled with someone or something? Many here may be familiar with the experience, or at least the story, of a scene that was fairly common a few decades ago. At a dance at a Catholic high school, if a young couple were clinging a bit too closely to each other during a dance, a teacher, usually a nun in habit in the story, would approach the couple with a scowl, tap them on the shoulder and say simply and forcefully: “Leave room for the Holy Spirit.” One thing this means is making sure that we go about seeking, searching, waiting and groaning in a way that will allow the Spirit to guide us in the quest for wisdom and truth. It means making sure that the questions we ask of life, of ourselves and of God are big enough to leave lots of room for the Holy Spirit to work in them.
And here are two even bigger questions, for all Christians who know that we need the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us: “How will I discern my true vocation in life: something more than just a job or an interest, but a calling from God to a certain way of living; to a set of commitments which both focus my life’s energies and set me free to become more fully my true self?” Or this one: “How can I, as a Christian, respect, protect, and learn to love all human beings, from the unborn to the impaired to convicted criminals to known terrorists?” These questions have room in them for the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God, have faith also in me. … I will go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am, you may also be. … I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This is what we are truly searching for: the untroubled heart that comes from knowing Christ as our way, our truth, our life in all the questions we face. We don’t usually realize it, but what we are seeking is that deep relationship with Christ which will transform us; we are groaning and waiting to be so united with Christ that he takes possession of our lives and casts out all our fear. We want to be able to say with St. Paul that it is “no longer I, but Christ who lives within me.” Then his joy will be in us and our joy will be complete. Christ’s love is what we search and seek and wait and groan for.
Let us try and develop an "attitude of gratitude," a habit of saying three little worlds: Thank you God. I believe this simple, little attitude can go a long way in starting us on the way to unity. I must thank God for my neighbor, my friend and all they do to make my life better. I must thank God for giving them their gifts and talents that hopefully they will use for my benefit. I will thank God daily for my own gifts and talents that I am able to use to serve others. We are all unique human beings. We are all destined by God to help each other, to respect each other, to thank each other, to affirm each other. This can begin today in our own families, in our work places, in our schools, in our parishes, wherever. This is certainly one way for unity to begin in our corner of the world. Keep some space for Holy Spirit.
St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me O Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy;
Act in me O Holy Spirit that my works, too, may be holy;
Draw my heart O Holy Spirit that I love but what is holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit to defend that is holy;
Guard me then O Holy Spirit that I always may be holy.
Cardinal Mercier's Prayer to the Holy Spirit*
O Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it. I promise to be submissive in everything that You permit to happen to me, only show me what is Your will.
No comments:
Post a Comment