Daily Reflection Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church

Before today’s passage from John 14 today, Jesus spoke for the first time of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth Jesus calls it, who Jesus says, “will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

It is the Holy Spirit that reminded the Apostles of all Jesus had said so that it could be written in the gospels. It is the Holy Spirit that will not leave them orphans. It is the Spirit that figures so prominently in the Acts of the Apostles, first at Pentecost filling them all with grace and strength, and throughout, leading them, calling Paul, revealing truths such as at the Council of Jerusalem regarding the Gentile converts and falling upon them in the “baptism of the Spirit.” The early church became a highly “charismatic” one with the Holy Spirit giving various charismatic (the word from Greek means gift) gifts to various people, everything from speaking in tongues, to prophecy to healing and wisdom messages as well as miraculous powers (see 1Corr 12:4-11).

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is perhaps the least understood of the persons of the Triune God. We say in the Creed that the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son” for that is how Jesus described it in Jn 15:26 in today’s liturgy. We also say that the Spirit is “the giver of life.” Jesus calls it “The Advocate,” since it supports the Church and all its members. It is as the Holy Spirit that God is present to us now, presenting us to both the Father and the Son. It is through the Holy Spirit that God speaks to his Church after Christ’s ascension to the Father. Jesus told the Pharisees in Jn 10:30 that “The Father and I are one.” It is also certainly true that Jesus and the Father are also one with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is but how the Father and the Son are present to us now. We also believe that the Holy Spirit “blows where it will,” (Jn 3:8) since the word “spirit” and “wind” are the same in Greek. There are no boundaries to God’s spirit, nothing can keep it from going wherever it pleases. God’s Spirit is present to every human being, whether baptized or unbaptized. It draws all to the Light (Jesus, who told us, “I am the light of the world.”).

Let us seek this Easter season to listen more attentively to the Spirit speak to our hearts in prayer. As Jesus told us in the sermon on the mount, let us go to our rooms, close the door and speak to Jesus and the Father through their Spirit and like Hannah in the first book of Samuel, let us pour out our hearts to the Lord. It is such prayer that is the only gateway to all things spiritual.