[Pearls Ep. 122: Friday follow-up]
As we approach Pentecost, we’re looking at reasons why we call on the Holy Spirit – “Come, Holy Spirit.”
This ancient prayer is found nowhere in the Bible, but quickly became a standard of the early Church. Today we look at the first of three reasons why this is a powerful prayer for us (there are many more reasons, but we only have three more emails in this series…).
We’ll start with a rhetorical question – why do people get personal trainers? You know the list:
- On my own, I start off strong but quickly peter out
- On days when I don’t feel like working out, I still go because I have that appointment
- My trainer pushes me harder than I would push myself
- My trainer has a sweet fragrance (well, maybe, maybe not – but this will be relevant in a moment)
The Holy Spirit is our perfect personal trainer. The Holy Spirit knows:
- Your strengths
- Your weaknesses
- Even your strengths and weaknesses that you think are hidden from the world
- Even your strengths and weaknesses that are hidden from yourself
- The Spirit knows your past
- The Spirit knows your future (He doesn’t choose it for you, but He knows what you will choose with your free will, which means we’re fooling ourselves if we think we’re fooling our Trainer)
- The Spirit knows the plan God desires for you
- The Spirit never calls in sick, is never late, is never grumpy, always remembers exactly where you left off, and has a sweet fragrance – St. Paul describes the Spirit’s sweet fragrance of knowledge (2 Cor 2:14) and love (Eph 5:1-2).
In our spiritual life, the Holy Spirit knows exactly when we need guidance to direct us, consolation to sustain us, and aridity to strengthen us. In our active life the Spirit provides promptings to motivate us, fruits that ennoble us, and gifts to sanctify the world around us.
Here’s another rhetorical question – if the Spirit sees all and knows all – why do we need to call on Him? Because that is also part of our growth.
It’s like learning an instrument. Or a sport. Or, anything. At first you are constantly thinking about what comes next, “next I play C-sharp,” or “next I swing the racket like this,” or “next I flip the bacon only once the fat is sizzling just so” (clearly this is Steve’s list…). But eventually it becomes second nature. And in the spiritual life we should be constantly thinking about turning to the Spirit. Jesus gives us the Spirit as our counselor, our advocate, our consoler – our everything. We should be turning to the Holy Spirit for guidance, strength and protection in all that we do – in literally everything, including (and especially) the most intimate relationships and moments of life.
And especially we should be constantly turning to the Holy Spirit because that’s what loved ones do.
But that doesn’t come naturally. What does come naturally is being distracted, stiff-necked and/or self-absorbed. We must continuously remind ourselves to call on the Holy Spirit to protect us from our own fallen nature and from the enemy. Better yet – pray for the grace to remember to call on the Holy Spirit.
The more we do it, the more it becomes natural, because we find we are made for it. And the more we think to call on the Spirit, the more we realize that the Spirit always responds with exactly what we need.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life