O Most Blessed Light Divine, Shine Within These Hearts of Thine!

“Oh my God, a storm is coming, Mary!”, Mary of Magdala shouted to the mother of Jesus, “Where’s Peter?” Mary of Magdala was always there with Mary the mother of Jesus, who was still trying hard to get over the events of the past few weeks. For Jesus’ mother, it did not really matter if a storm was coming. Nothing could be more turbulent than watching her only son suffer and die. Even when Christ could not be held bound in the grave, she still pondered all these things in her heart, and yet all she said was, “As it pleases my Lord”.

Everyone was gripped with fear as the wind grew stronger and more violent. They all gathered around the mother of the Christ, who had become their matriarch too. They feared eve more as the room quaked. What’s happening? they questioned in their hearts.

Mary knew what she saw. They were flames of fire. What happened next was what she could not explain. Yes, she heard herself speak a language she’d never spoken before. She saw people laugh at her and other apostles. She heard them say to themselves, “Look, they have all taken a lot of new wine”. They scoffed, mocked and jeered, and said, “These weird people are at it again. Hear them speaking our languages”.

The Lord’s will was done, his promise was fulfilled. The advocate had come. He was the Spirit of the Father and the Son, the Comforter. The Church of Jesus Christ had been born on that day. No longer would they witness to Christ in secret. They had been empowered and commissioned to tell the world about Jesus, who had died and was raised from the dead and taken up to heaven. They has received the mandate to speak before kings and judges. Of course, they would suffer. They were going to be arrested, chained, beaten, dragged along the streets, and even killed. Yes, killed! That same Spirit of the Father who raised Jesus from the dead would raise them into the glory of the Father on the last day.

HOLY SPIRIT, LORD OF LIGHT

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, whom we celebrate today, is he who exists with the Father and the Son, even before time began. This coming of the advocate whom the Lord Jesus had promised his apostles, saw to the birth of the Church of Jesus the Christ. This Spirit is here presented in seven dimensions, as follows:

i.                 The Spirit of Love

ii.               The Spirit of Unity

iii.             The Spirit of Courage

iv.             The Spirit of Fervor

v.               The Spirit of Light (Truth)

vi.             The Spirit of Forgiveness and Reconciliation

vii.           The Spirit of Life

The Spirit of Love is the manifestation of the love of the Father and the Son. It is he who inspire us, like he did the apostles, to carry out good deeds out of the love of God. For this, St. Paul says that every claim of possession of charisms of the Spirit is in vain if one does not love as God loves us. (1 Cor. 13)

The Spirit of Unity is he who has always been, and ever will be united with the Father and the Son in the Trinity. It is he who unites every part of the one body of Christ, the Church. (1 Cor. 12:12-31) It is he who unites every nation, every tongue, and every people on earth, under the banner of God’s Children.

Filled with the Spirit of Courage, the apostles could speak out boldly before kings and rulers and crowds. He is the Spirit who strengthens us and gives us the audacity to speak about Jesus, to live Christ-like lives. It is this Spirit that enables us to say no to sin without blinking an eye. (Acts Ch. 4)

David prayed for the Spirit of Fervor. This is he who holds us firm in goodness. He makes us able to persevere even when we seem to have lost our strength. This Holy Spirit makes us, like he did the apostle, to stand put ground in doing what is right and pleasing to God. (Psalm 51, Acts 5:17ff; Acts 6:8ff; Acts 7:54-8:3)

The Spirit of Light illumines our lives. He shows us the path of life. He is the Spirit of Truth. In the darkest moments of our lives, he is always there to shine his light on us. He makes known to us the will of the Father, and guides us to do this will. (John 16:12-15)

The Spirit of Forgiveness and Reconciliation: After his resurrection, Christ breathed the Holy Spirit on the apostles, giving them power to forgive sins. This Spirit lightens our hearts to forgive our offenders and to ask for pardon when we err. (John 20:20-23)

In the beginning, when God made man, he breathed into the clay form the Spirit of Life. This is he who gives life to our mortal bodies, the Spirit of the Father who raised Jesus from the dead. The Spirit of life renews us in our dryness and revives us in our weakness. (Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 104:29b-30; Genesis 2:7)

PRAYER

Dear God, send forth your Spirit, we pray, and enlighten our hearts, that we may know you the one true God, and Jesus Christ your Son, the saviour of the world.