Pentecost Sunday: Reflection

     Today on Pentecost, is an appropriate time to be more aware of the Holy Spirit acting in our lives. In the mission house, in Honduras, we just had a Sanctuary Night, a night of adoration and healing, where we talked about the Holy Spirit as the guide of our healing process. It was beautiful to see how when we open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit, he always shows up!
     Who is the Holy Spirit? Saint John Paul II in Dominum et Vivificantem calls the Holy Spirit a “Person-Gift”. The Holy Spirit is not simply a concept. He is a person. The Holy Spirit is the gift Jesus chose to give us. 
     What does the Holy Spirit want in your life? He wants to make of you a sanctuary, He wants to dwell in you. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says the Holy Spirit helps us to remember. He will guide you into all truth. He wants us to live in total truth and wholeness. The Holy Spirit wants your freedom. When the Holy Spirit is in you, you are free. St. Paul says, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." The more you surrender to him, the more miracles he will work in your life.
     Did you know that the Holy Spirit is constantly communicating with you? He wants to communicate with you. It is natural for people to communicate with each other - through words, actions, body language, etc. Since the Holy Spirit is a person, it is natural to conclude that he also wants to communicate. 
     How does the Holy Spirit communicate with us? God uses our human faculties (capacities) to speak to us. What is great about this, is that it is simple and everyone can learn to hear God’s voice because we all have these basic human faculties. 
     What are some of these faculties that the Holy Spirit wants to use to speak to us? First, through listening to our inner voice. We all have an inner voice that is constantly dialoguing with us throughout the day. The Holy Spirit wants to speak to us through our little inner voice. You can practice this right now by taking a deep breath inviting the Holy Spirit and asking him, how much do you love me? What is the first thing your inner voice says? 
     Another way that the Holy Spirit loves to communicate with us is through our imagination. We all have an imagination, an ability to picture something in our mind’s eye. Close your eyes right now and imagine your favorite place to be. See, you have an imagination! If we let him, the Holy Spirit, can speak to us through this amazing human gift. Practice now by asking God, How do you see me? Let the Holy Spirit inflame your imagination.
     There are many other ways the Holy Spirit speaks to us because he is infinitely creative. I pray we will be encouraged to grow our relationship with the third person of the Trinity and become more aware of how he is constantly communicating with us.
Holy Spirit, I permit you to use my inner voice, imagination, emotions, and thoughts to speak to me. I give you my heart, my mind, and my body. Help me to be more aware of your presence. Amen.

Maria Jasek

Two year missionary serving in Honduras