May 7, 2013      Martin Mallon  (Ireland)      Martin's previous articles                        

                                                 THE HOLY SPIRIT

In the Easter greeting of Pope Francis, "Urbi et Orbi", he asked a question which we must all ask ourselves: “What does it mean that Jesus is risen?”  

The Pope answered his own question as follows:  

It means that the love of God is stronger than evil and death itself; it means that the love of God can transform our lives and let those desert places in our hearts bloom.1

 The Holy Spirit is the love of God; the Holy Spirit is stronger than evil and death itself and it is the Holy Spirit who can transform our lives. Pope Francis’ comments on the transforming powers of the Holy Spirit can be found in last week’s article here:  

Jesus made it very clear that he must go to the Father in order that the Holy Spirit would come to aid us. As Cardinal Suenens wrote:  

I found too, that I did not realise Our Lord’s promise that his disciples would do greater works than he, because he was going to the Father and would send his Spirit (Jn 14:12). I did not really believe that the charisms of the Spirit are always there, today no less than yesterday: they will not be ineffective if I learn to receive them and make them bear fruit in a living active faith.2  

According to the theologian Francois-Xavier Durrwell:  

The Resurrection of Jesus is the total outpouring of the Spirit in the world, the flowing into creation of the immense flood which pours out from the Father in the Son. In the Christ of glory the Spirit is present to the world just as he is in God himself. There, in the full measure which he can be known, he is found.3

 Because of the resurrection we are receiving the total outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the world. We are now living in the age of the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us towards the Father in Heaven. To obtain the help of the Spirit we only have to ask and, as mentioned by Cardinal Suenens above, we can do greater works than Jesus did because he was sending the Spirit. We must believe this and act accordingly.

Essentially, Durrwell points out, to come to a knowledge of Christianity there is a way other than theological reflection, which does not appeal to everyone, this is:

…the way of the heart which communicates with the mystery. It is there, in the depths of ourselves, that our eyes as Christians, are opened: ‘May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your heart so that you can see…’ (Eph 1:17f) The most authentic knowledge is that of a loving heart.4

 The way of the heart is the way of love, the way of the Holy Spirit and this corresponds with the Second Vatican Council Document, Gaudium et Spes, Section 16 which states that:

For man has in his heart a law written by God; to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged. Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths. In a wonderful manner conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbor.

 This same document, in Section 44, goes on to describe the job of the people of God, with the aid of the Holy Spirit:

 With the help of the Holy Spirit, it is the task of the entire People of God, especially pastors and theologians, to hear, distinguish and interpret the many voices of our age, and to judge them in the light of the divine word, so that revealed truth can always be more deeply penetrated, better understood and set forth to greater advantage.

 Note that this task belongs to the “entire People of God”, but only “With the help of the Holy Spirit”.

 May the Holy Spirit guide us all as we attempt to spread the love of God in our daily contact with other humans, children of God. Usually we must do this one person at a time and how wonderful if at the end of each day I can say that I have brought God’s love, the Holy Spirit, to another person that day.

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