Posted on 05/15/2005 5:40:43 AM PDT by Teófilo
The Feast of Pentecost, the Coming of the Holy Spirit over the Apostles with Blessed Mary in their midst, takes a very special place in my heart. The Spirit is God's Presence in the Church and in the life of every Christian. The Spirit is the soul of the Church, the source of her strength, and the Principle of all Supernatural life and of sanctifying grace.
I am a bit melancholy today for look, Teófilo's family, household, and life are very ordinary. We face challenges, joys, and sorrows like any other family. Our response to these challenges is often imperfect, reactive, improvised, and inelegant. Our Lord's invitation to be "perfect as my Father in heave is perfect" is a perennially elusive goal for us, and for me in particular, for I see the talents and the gifts that the Lord has given me and my poor response in turn to them.
My consolation of late has been praying to the Spirit and praying in the Spirit, because, let me tell you, I've run of words to ask what I want and to establish the right priorities in so many areas of life, at work, at home in the raising of my children--those of you who are parents of older teenagers understand--that I only trust the Lord's promise given through St. Paul:
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (Romans 8:26)Hence, the Spirit consoles my soul, moves me to deeper contemplation, and increases my wish to receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. The yoke turns a bit easier and the burden, lighter; and my daily cross, sweeter.
Don't take me wrong. I'm not "saintly" yet, in fact, that might still be far way off. But it is now a goal that I pursue consciously, an objective that I seek to attain in all seriousness. Without the indwelling Spirit, such a goal might look silly, but with the Spirit everything is possible.
The theology manuals speak about the "mutual indwelling" or "the reciprocal in-existence and compenetration of the Three Persons." The Latin term is circuminsession and the Greek one is perichoresis. I like the Greek term better for it literally means "dancing together." The Three Persons of the Trinity are "dancing together" for all eternity: the Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father in return. This mutual Love is personal, subsistent, and conscious, sharing in the same Divine Nature. This Love is the Spirit. Hence, the significance of today's feast, for we celebrate not only the birth of the Church but also the insertion of the Church into the inner life of the Triune God.
Let us open your hearts to the Spirit; let us join together in the dance. Today is the day.
- Purchase the festal icon of Pentecost from MonasteryIcos.com
CATECHISM CC - Pt. 1 - Chap. 3 - I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
CATECHISM CC - Pt 1, Chap 3, ARTICLE 8 "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT"
Thank you for your sharing! -Theo
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.