The Holy Spirit in Ordinary Time

June 5th, 2017 Posted in writing

Using an admirable economy of language, the author of a poem about the Holy Spirit says, “In you, O Spirit of God, we move and live and find our rest.” As we move from the Easter season into the time of the liturgical year known as Ordinary Time (which extends over almost half the year), we might want to take a closer look at the author’s words about the Holy Spirit.

They tell us that in the Spirit of God, we find the energy to not stay stuck in old ruts. The Holy Spirit can open us to imagine new things, invest in new relationships, explore new ways of doing familiar things and look for ways to deepen our love so that we find God in places and circumstances we may have overlooked.

The writer also says that in the Holy Spirit we live. Life is all about responding to the God who asks us to care for ourselves, others and our world. In the Holy Spirit we can engage life with hope and creativity, for this same Spirit shaped the formless chaos at the dawn of creation into a universe that reveals the mystery, power and beauty of God.

Lastly, the author tells us that in the Holy Spirit we find our rest. We may feel that worries and pressures grind us down and leave us exhausted. When so many things need doing and so many things call for our attention, if we are not careful, we can become worn out. We might pray that Holy Spirit would teach us to follow the example of Pope John XXIII who, at the end of many full and often stressful days, was said to have gone into his chapel, looked up at the crucifix, and prayed, “Well, Lord, it’s your world and your Church. I’m going to bed.”

Yes, Ordinary Time gets underway. But by moving, living and resting in the Holy Spirit, Ordinary Time can become truly Extraordinary Time.

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