Receive the Holy Spirit

The Easter season concludes as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday, followed by The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. We read in the Sunday Gospels of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon those in the upper room, and of the joy of life in union with the Blessed Trinity.

Receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-22)

Christ Jesus makes good on his promises! We read in Chapter 2 of The Acts of the Apostles that the apostles, together with Mary  are in the upper room 10 days after the Lord’s ascension into heaven, where our risen Lord promised them, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). They did receive this power 10 days later on Pentecost. In fact, the coming of the Spirit was so loud that those in the streets outside the upper room gathered to see what had happened. Little did they know what had taken place and how this moment would “renew the face of the earth.” 

The advocate (Jn 14:15-16, 23-26)

Jesus’ command to love is foundational in his teachings. Built upon love is the mission of the disciples who are sent out to proclaim the good news, the teachings of Jesus to all the nations. Yet, Jesus knew their mission would require much strength, divine strength, beyond human capacity. Thus, he promised to send help, saying, “I will ask the father, and he will give you another advocate to be with you always.” And “the advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” (Jn 14:15-15). Reflecting on this thread, St. John Paul II wrote, “The Holy Spirit comes after him (Jesus) and because of him, in order to continue in the world, through the church, the work of the good news of salvation” (Dominum Et Vivificantem, 3). 

From the cross, Jesus handed over his Spirit. Three days later he resurrected, appeared to the apostles in the upper room, and “he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). Then, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit poured out upon those in the upper room, the early apostles, and Mary, the church! From this moment onward they went out, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news. From fearful to fearless.

The Holy Spirit continuously pours out upon the church those gifts to enable us to follow the path of Jesus, to stay united to the will of God and to, in our own way, “renew the face of the earth” by our light. The gifts received empower us to act in free cooperation with God, to help us lead to lives of holiness by way of virtue and to accompany others on their walk to eternal life as we witness life in Jesus Christ. As such, the advocate, the Holy Spirit, dwells in our hearts, renews us and helps us as we pursue missionary activity and bring Jesus to all we meet. So when does this begin for us?

God’s gift: Life in the Trinity (Jn 16:12-15)

Our life in the most Holy Trinity begins in the sacrament of baptism, ”the gateway to life in the Spirit”(Catechism of the Catholic Church Para 1213), in the father’s plan for salvation through Christ’s redeeming act of his passion, death and resurrection. Those baptized in the life of the Trinity are regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Each time we make the sign of the cross, we are reminded of the nature of our relationship with our triune God, father, son and Holy Spirit. As missionary disciples we are called to respond to others with the same love we receive in the most Holy Trinity, united in one.

God is love

I will conclude this article with a powerful teaching from the catechism, “God is love and love is his first gift, containing all others. God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. By this power of the Spirit, God’s children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine (Jesus) will make us bear ‘the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We live by the Spirit. The more we renounce ourselves, the more we walk by the Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the kingdom of heaven and adopted as children, given confidence to call God ‘Father and to share in Christ’s grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory” (Catechism 733, 736).

 Amen! Come Holy Spirit!

Dow is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.