JUNE92019

The report of the first Pentecost has exotic images which signified the coming of the Holy Spirit — strong, driving wind; tongues as of flame; being understood in different languages. Those images can make us think of the presence of the Holy Spirit as something outside of the normal. One of the Fathers of the church used a different image of the presence of the Holy Spirit — that of water. Water is ordinary but necessary for life to exist. However, water operates in different ways depending on the nature of the individual. Water makes the lily flower bloom and the grain of wheat to flourish. The presence of water produces a unique reaction in each. That same is true with us. The presence of the Holy Spirit will look different depending on our individuality. For some it might be ecstatic singing and speaking (“She’s got the Holy Ghost.”) For others it might be consolation in the midst of grief. (Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “Consoler.”) For another it might be help in deciding what to do in a given situation since the Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, the Advocate. The one thing we can be sure of, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and will fill us the divine gifts and fruits.