Sunday is the feast, at last, of the Holy Spirit. What is this famous presence we have heard Jesus promise for weeks? May I give you some “points,” just as a retreat director would do during a retreat?

Ask to be introduced to the Holy Spirit when you pray. Use as much as you want from the following for prayer and disregard the rest.

Preliminaries:
Remember that you will be praying in the presence of God, the one who watches over you and loves you by name. Sit quietly, with as much patience as you can.

  “What does the Holy Spirit mean to me?”

To some people the Holy Spirit is the one who causes them to be “slain in the Spirit.” Others know it as some being connected with the Trinity. What do you believe?

Many folks have no idea.

—p a u s e  h e r e—

Point One:
In the Gospel, Jesus says that the Father is going to send “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit” in his name, to us. The English word advocate is derived from the Latin (which has ad plus voco, and meaning “to speak for”). So. the Holy Spirit speaks for us, on our behalf.

We have many translations of the Greek word. It is also rendered as “Paraclete,” “intercessor,” “teacher,” “helper,” and “comforter.” All these English words refer to someone who is called upon to aid another person and to defend them!

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. (Romans 8:26).

Ponder the Holy Spirit of God praying within you.

—p a u s e   a n d   p r a y—

Point Two:
Imagine being part of the story in the First Reading. You are gathered with the disciples in a house. Suddenly a huge noise, which is “like a strong driving wind,” drowns everything out. Something resembling a flame appears and hovers in the air. It splits into many flame-like presences, which hover over each person in the room.

They have at least 15 different languages among them. But they all understand. Picture yourself preaching or listening.

—p r a y   q u I e t l y—

Point Three:
Ponder the immensely comforting statement by Jesus in the Gospel:

Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him
and make our dwelling with him.

(Women, please substitute “her.”)

Take time with each line. (Remember that “keeping Jesus’ word” means loving one another, not just keeping the law.) Consider the Father’s love for all of you. Let down your guard for a moment or two in order to make a home for Jesus and his Father. Let the Holy Spirit pray inside you.

—p a u s e—

Go as long as you want. Then call out to God and say where your heart is. Maybe God will give you a sense of the Holy Spirit in your personal daily life, in your progress from day to day!