They knew the Spirit as the gift of Jesus and the Father to help guide and strengthen them, and they knew how to call upon the Spirit for his assistance. May we hope for the same experience?
Jesus taught us to relate to the Father as “Abba.” The apostles and disciples—Peter, Mary and Martha, the “beloved disciple,” and all the others—learned to relate to Jesus with warmth and friendship, each in his or her own way. How shall we imagine the person of the Holy Spirit in order to relate to the Spirit with the same depth of love and intimacy that we can have in our relationship with Jesus and the Father?
Recall the meaning of the term “paraclete”: one who is called to be at one’s side, a companion, a friend. Then, remember that, in John’s gospel, Jesus says that in some ways the Holy Spirit will be even closer to the apostles than he was—as a teacher, counselor, and witness within their hearts. On the basis of those characterizations, I would like to suggest a personal image of the Holy Spirit that embodies all that he is and does for us: the Holy Spirit is “the friend closest to our hearts.”
Granted, this is not a biblical image, but it is found in the fathers of the church. St. Cyril of Jerusalem taught that “the Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console.” The Catechism describes the Holy Spirit as “the interior Master of life according to Christ, a gentle guest and friend who inspires, guides, corrects and strengthens this life” (1697).
Our friend the Holy Spirit is close to our hearts in order to set them aflame with love for God and with zeal to witness to our faith. He is close to us to convince us of our sin and to cleanse and purify our hearts. He is a friend strengthening us with virtues and gifts for the good of others and the church.
But most of all, this image of the friend closest to our hearts reminds us that the Holy Spirit is someone with whom we can speak and relate in an intimate, personal way. This image does not force us to put a “face” on the Holy Spirit, for he is a friend who is within us. It would be impossible, as well as unnecessary, to attempt to picture what the Spirit of God looks like as the gentle guest of our souls. We can simply speak to the Holy Spirit as that divine person who dwells within us, who is God’s love poured into our hearts (see Romans 5:5).
Just as we come to the Father and the Son in prayer, then, we can also pray to the Holy Spirit. The Catechism poses the question, “Since he [the Holy Spirit] teaches us to pray by recalling Christ, how could we not pray to the Spirit, too? That is why the church invites us to call upon the Holy Spirit every day, especially at the beginning and end of every important action” (2670).
Our conversations with the Holy Spirit need not be lengthy or involved. As well as expressing the beautiful formal prayers of the church to the Holy Spirit, we may simply use short “aspirations” such as “Come, Holy Spirit”; “Holy Spirit guide me, give me wisdom”; “Spirit of holiness, show me my sin; help me to make a good confession”; or “Holy Spirit, give me patience.” And, in times of urgent need or temptation, a simple “Help” will do! Anyone who has ever struggled with the formulation of a prayer can surely appreciate the Holy Spirit, for as St. Paul taught:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
God dwells in the hearts of Christians, and so the Holy Spirit is there, praying with us and for us and in us.
As Jesus assured his followers, Christians have not been left alone, desolate, or orphaned. Called to the side of Jesus’ followers, the Spirit has become our teacher, advocate, counselor, consoler, and friend. He is a sort of second
Emmanuel—”God with us”—but even more profoundly, God within us. As St. Paul put it, we actually become “temples of the Holy Spirit” where God resides and abides (see 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19).