The Holy Spirit can become the power source for our lives

We often refer to the Holy Spirit as the forgotten person of the Blessed Trinity. Images of the Father and the Son lend themselves to our imagination. Pictures of a dove or tongues of fire are not as helpful in capturing the importance of driving force in our lives.

Another symbol of the Spirit is “breath.” The word we translate as “spirit” from the gospel’s original Greek also means “wind” and “breath.” Jesus breathes the Spirit on the disciples after the Resurrection, and they carry his message to the ends of the earth. God’s Spirit gives life. Recall how in the creation stories of Genesis, a mighty wind swept over the primeval waters and God brought life out of chaos. Later, God formed Adam out of clay and “blew into his nostrils the breath of life.”

I like to use the image of electricity to illustrate the power of the Spirit. Electricity is a power source. It runs our air-conditioners, our lights, our computers and everything in our homes. However, if we don’t plug into this power source, it will not run our appliances.

The Holy Spirit is our power source. We received the Spirit when we were baptized and confirmed. This power source is present within us. However, we have to “plug in” so the Spirit can move and have an effect in daily lives.

The Spirit wants to give us seven special gifts. They are:

1) Fear of the Lord, the Scripture says, “is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). God does us to live in fear but to be in awe when we realize God’s grandeur. God created the whole world and we are just a little speck in this vast universe. Yet, God loves us and even sent his Son to die for us.

2) Reverence (sometimes called piety) is the gift that moves us to worship God as the Source of all being. By this gift we experience the joyful reality that God is our loving Parent and that we are invited into ever deepening intimacy with God. We respect all life because God created everything.

3) Counsel: by this gift we can judge situations as God would. The Gift of Counsel deals more with “listening” than “talking.” When two or more people “counsel together,” they are seeking truth together, each sharing in faith their insights.

4) Fortitude is the Spirit’s gift of courage and strength, given that we might stand firm in faith throughout the trials of life, in the face of temptation and persecution. Today we need the courage to stand up for what is right, to be patient in teaching our children right from wrong, to reject the world’s push for pleasure, wealth and power.

5) Knowledge is that gift that enables us to judge correctly matters of faith and action. We view all creation in relationship to God and we continue to pronounce God’s creation “good,” for God reveals himself to us through it.

6) Understanding is the gift by which we grasp how we need to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. Understanding helps us to know the heart of God and to recognize God’s reflection in all of life especially in the story of each person.

7) Wisdom unites us with God, giving us the mind and heart of Christ. Through this gift, we can know as God knows, to love as God loves. Through this union of love, we can say with St. Paul, “I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). The Spirit’s gift of Wisdom comes only through prolonged, intimate contact with God.

So, are you ready to plug into this magnificent power source and allow the Holy Spirit to energize you?