Spirit

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Spirit

Truth   Understanding

Sent To Guide

Make Known Wondrous Mystery

Love

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:  The Letter to the Romans 5:5

Hope does not disappoint because the Love of God has been sent into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who dwells with us.

The Gospel of John 16:13a

When the Spirit of Truth comes to you, you will be guided to the Truth.

Reflection

How does the Holy Spirit work in your life?

For many of us, this can seem like a real mystery. As we reflect on it, however, it becomes a wondrous mystery because we begin to realize how generous Jesus is.

In our reading from The Gospel of John, Jesus is preparing the apostles for the time when He will no longer be with them on earth physically. He will be returning to the Father. 

Paul tells us in our reading from The Letter to the Romans that we can still have hope even though Jesus is with the Father. It is a very special hope because we will never be disappointed.

Usually we always encounter some disappointments in life. This hope overcomes all disappointments. The Holy Spirit will be with us and fill us with God's Love. 

Even in difficult moments in life, that Love will strengthen us and encourage us to persevere. We all encounter times when things look bleak, when it feels like there is just too much evil to overcome, too much senseless death and destruction. How can we possibly have any hope that things will get better?

The Spirit sends us Truth and gives us the understanding to deal with the evil that we confront. The Spirit guides us to discover the wonder of creation. We realize that we have been blessed with the Gifts of the Spirit to overcome the injustices and the indifference to suffering that we can encounter.

We realize through the gift of understanding that we do not have all the answers. There are mysteries that we cannot fully comprehend. We begin to trust and hope in the Spirit.

As we hope, we are gently guided to the truth and to the realization that evil and injustice can be overcome through the power of Love.

We are loved so deeply that Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. We feel the power of the Holy Spirit when we are inspired to try a new approach as we fight for those in need.

A great example of this is the Jesuit priest Fr. Greg Boyle. He saw the difficulties that many young people were facing in the Los Angeles area. They were struggling with issues of drug abuse, crime, and poverty. They were turning to gangs to help them find a community that would feel like a family and would accept them.

Fr. Boyle guided them to hope and founded Homeboy Industries, giving them an alternative to a life of crime. They discovered that they are loved and have dignity as a child of God. They realized that the Holy Spirit dwells in them.

The gangs had given them a sense of belonging that many of them had never known. It was a feeling, however, that did not last when they saw many of their friends die or spend time in prison. 

Fr. Boyle helped them to experience the power of Love. 

It is a Love that Jesus wants to share with us through the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

It is a gift that will dwell within us.

It is a gift that will guide us to the truth.

It is a gift that fills us with wonder.

It is a gift that leads us to a hope that will never disappoint.

Enjoy your GIFT!

1. How does the Holy Spirit help you?

2. Have you ever experienced the hope that never disappoints?

3. What do you do when you find it hard to persevere against the injustices and evil you encounter?

4. Is it difficult for you to trust in the Spirit?

5. How can you follow the example of Fr. Boyle in your life?

6. What do you feel as you meditate on Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)