By Donna Hollis, OFS
National Executive Committee Councilor
The Holy Spirit is always attentive within us; are we listening?
. Donna Hollis, OFS
Relationships are built on open hearts and trust. The Spirit empowers Jesus to be continually present in the world. God’s Spirit conceives Jesus, initiates his public ministry and sustains his Spiritual life. The Spirit is the driving force of who we are and become. Are we attuned to the heartbeat of God? Do we listen to the voice of the Spirit within each of our hearts?
In the Scriptures the Spirit is called the “Ruach”, “Pneuma”, and “Shekhinah” (the wind/breath/ and dwelling.) We must be guided by the Spirit in all that we do. We work with the movement of the Spirit as wind, light and breath to change us and empower us to be agents of change.
What does the relationship between you and the Holy Spirit look like? When we allow the Spirit to fill our lives, we follow the rhythm of the Spirit. We then are guided by the Spirit to become new creatures.
The love of the Spirit will empower us to generate justice and mercy, filling the world with God’s love. We each contribute to the building of the reign of God. It is a task that calls all of us to enable us to understand the nature of God so that we might be able to enter the Transformation.
The Holy Spirit transforms us to become the best that we can be by our love. Love is the force that challenges us to move towards justice and wholeness. Just as Jesus was empowered by the Spirit, now the followers of Jesus are empowered by the same Spirit showing compassion. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who treat you badly. Treat others the way you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:27-30)
The gift of the Spirit is God’s own power to love unconditionally and to transform the world by that power. The Spirit is experienced as the ‘warmth of God’s love that can be felt.’ To enter a relationship with Christ we must let go of ourselves, surrender control of our lives and allow the Spirit to be given to us. The highest form of self possession is the capacity to give ourselves away.
We have a choice – live our own agenda or let go and be taken up into the Spirit’s movement. It will challenge and transform you to become the best that you can be by or love and contribution to others. It is a task that calls all of us.
I want to learn to be who God really created me to be and I think all God wants me to be is who I really am.
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