Holy Spirit

Today’s Gospel Text: And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit 2 for forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days; and when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." 4 And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'" 5 And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours." 8 And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"  9 And he took him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,' 11 and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"  12 And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. Luke 4:1-13

Reflection: It is the language we often use in spiritual circles: “full of the Holy Spirit” or to have a portion of the Holy Spirit”

We could have various situations of the Holy Spirit at work in the life of the Christian, depending on how much one allows oneself to be used by him.

The Holy Spirit is the humble Spirit of Jesus, whom the Scripture reports here that Jesus too was full of the Holy Spirit when he returned from the Jordan. (vs. 1)

Just as Christ came to serve and not to be served at similarly the Holy Spirit has chosen to be our servant, depending on our cooperation with God’s will.

  

“.. the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” 1 Cor 14:32-33 

Otherwise we could be quenching the Holy Spirit which we have received at baptism when we do not know its working or when we do not allow him to use us as his instrument or if we walk in sinfulness, preferring to trust ourselves and others rather than God.

    

“Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thess 5:19

Today many of us Christians walk without a knowledge of the Holy Spirit and his working in their lives. Instead many have opted for programmes of self development and practice a spirituality which is alien to the Holy Spirit.

The scripture invites us to practice a spirituality that encourages us to walk by the Holy Spirit who has his own style of working or in other words; a God approved style:

   

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Gal 5:25 - is a clarion call for the baptized. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to rediscover the working of your Holy Spirit, which I have received at Baptism and live according to his promptings and grace.

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