Scared of the Spirit

I think the Holy Spirit gets the short end of the stick. For all but about two Sundays the year (and Confirmation masses if we happen to stumble into one), the Spirit gets pushed aside for the far easier images of God that we hear whether of Jesus who walked among us or God the Father or Creator. Even this Sunday we will hear more about the teachings of Divine Mercy than the Spirit in many of our parishes.

I also think that’s because we’re a bit scared of the Spirit in the Church. I say this with a fair deal of experience, over twenty years in parish and diocesan work. The Spirit calls us in unpredictable ways to do unpredictable things at unpredictable times. I once edged close to an argument with a deacon when I called the Spirit unruly. I hold to that. The Spirit is Creator and Love. We use images of Wind and Fire to try to embody the Spirit. These very words Creator, Love, Wind, Fire are unruly, unpredictable, even a little dangerous. Letting the Spirt loose in each person, letting Spirit filled parishioners find their own paths instead of carefully placing them into open volunteer roles, why that is dangerous. I have sat in meetings hearing that fear articulated.

I worry we build the structures of our parishes and our Church, expecting the Spirit to serve the structures and systems. The systems and structures and programs and ministries of our parishes and Church are to help us grow in relationship with God, to help the Spirit thrive in this world in all the unruly ways we are called.

Today when we hear Jesus say, “Peace be with you,” let us hold that peace in our hearts for the Spirit brings us the peace we need to ground ourselves for the work that the Spirit then invites us to embrace. We are reminded of the Spirit that dwells in each of us today as we hold both that peace and the breath of God within. For when we then turn to that call of the unruly, creative, loving Spirit that blows where it wills, we never know what beautiful, transformative, life-giving, chaos the Spirit will guide us to nurture into being in the world.

Today's Readings