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| Sand dunes in Washington State |
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
Somewhere in the late 1960’s, along with everything else that was happening in and to the Catholic Church, the Pentecostal movement swept through our dusty corridors. Suddenly lots of people were in love with the Holy Spirit. I attended any number of charismatic prayer groups in Ohio, Wisconsin and Victoria, Australia. I enjoyed the singing and stole a few stories from the preachers, but I never "got the Holy Ghost." Apparently, I didn’t want it. As far as I can tell that particular wave washed up on the shore and retreated, leaving isolated prayer groups in a few parishes. Their doctrine of the Holy Spirit was far too simple for most of the clergy and only a few bishops and priests could support it.
The New Testament has no clear doctrine of the Holy Spirit; even the imagery is confusing. The mystery appears as fire, wind and a dove. Individuals receive the Spirit by hearing the word preached to them, by visions and auditions, baptism, anointing with oil and the laying on of hands. Some receive the Spirit and pray in “tongues” (glossolalia) while others speak in intelligible languages. Even the name Holy Spirit is not definitive; Jesus spoke of the Paraclete while others spoke of the Spirit of Jesus. Are they all the same?
The most important story in the New Testament about the Holy Spirit, the incident in the Cenacle on Pentecost, disappears throughout the rest of the Bible. Neither Saint Luke nor any other writer ever refers directly to it again. It seems more a parable about the identity and mission of the church than a historical incident.
The student of the Bible who would know about the Holy Spirit does well to start reflecting on Wisdom as she appears in the Old Testament. The Jews would not deify wisdom; their religion is founded upon the doctrinal rock of One God. Nor would they suppose wisdom is a lesser deity or an angel. She seems to be a poetic image; a feminine expression of God’s authority, goodness and mercy. She is that Truth with which God has built the universe. And God gives her to whom he chooses.
New Testament writers, struggling to identify what had happened to them in response to Jesus, recognized something altogether new and unexpected. They were swept along by something that made them eager, courageous and wise beyond all expectations. Who were these farmers, fishermen and merchants to defy religious and civil authorities in public? How could they dare to instruct them in private? Clearly they were in thrall of the Spirit of Jesus.
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| Looking east at North America from the dunes of Washington State |
Christians invoke the Holy Spirit when we want to approach God or do God’s will because, like Wisdom, the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God. I finally abandoned the charismatic movement when I heard a twelve year old boy preaching to adults. He seemed like a child imitating adults who are acting like children. It was too ridiculous for me.
The Wisdom of the Holy Spirit gathers us in prayer and governs us. It teaches us to speak to our contemporaries with confident, intelligent, persuasive authority.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.