As I contemplate the world’s turmoil today and the increase of so many societal issues, it is undoubtedly due to our inability to listen to the third person of God, the Holy Spirit. Per the Greek for pneuma, the imagery of a gentle breath from God in the silence to give us new life and our inability to allow His presence to enter is the conundrum for many issues we face today.
We have turned away from God and allowed idol worship of something other than God to permeate our very being. It is unfortunate that the Covid lockdown increased our thirst for increased technology as a means of pleasure and entertainment versus true family time and prayer centered activities.
The second component is the degradation of society where the seven deadly sins of pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth are more prevalent than ever before. Conversely, the seven capital virtues of chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience & humility are worth taking up. Our road as Christians is an arduous one and I am certainly a sinner that wishes to be a saint in the making that is writing this blog reflection.
Self care of our soul is needed now more than ever.
My men’s faith sharing group is covering Acts. The disciples of Jesus were doing the same miraculous acts of Jesus. We too can receive that same spiritual gift to not only go & follow Him but allow miraculous encounters of God to work through us and in us.
We must ask the gentle breath of the Holy Spirit to breathe new life in our souls. We must abandon our vices and turn to those virtues worthy of our mission as human beings made in His image.
One cleric in his homily provided the image of an altar candle being extinguished by removing the chemical reaction of oxygen and candle wax extinguishing the flame. Our souls are candles from God that need the Holy Spirit’s oxygen to avoid being burnt out. Will you turn to the Spirit to keep your soul’s flame bright this day?
A good prayer attributed to St. Augustine is the following:
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
Amen.
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