God . . . gives his Holy Spirit to you

For many of us, the Holy Spirit is the most puzzling member of the Trinity.   Sure, we can not fully grasp the Father or Son either, but it seems hardest to relate to the Spirit.   Why might this be?

Well, for one, the Father and Son have names we can easily connect with.   “Holy Spirit,” on the other hand, sounds rather mysterious!   Still, the Church teaches that the Spirit is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.   So it makes sense that the Spirit would want to relate to us in a personal way.

First, the Holy Spirit teaches us.   He teaches us to pray and helps us keep in mind what Jesus has done for us.   He takes what belongs to Jesus and makes it known to us.   Like a devoted mentor, he walks beside us and guides us in how to live.

The Spirit also helps us in our weakness.   Like a good friend, he prays for us; he even prays with us.   He helps us grasp the truth of Scripture and gives us the grace to live it out, especially when we feel weak or inadequate.

Finally, the Spirit loves us.   Scripture tells us that God is love, and it’s the Spirit who helps us feel this love in our hearts.   He comforts us by reminding us that we are God’s children, that God loves us so much that he has adopted us into his family.   He fills us with love so that we can bear fruit by loving one another.

Yes, the Holy Spirit is a mysterious Person.   He will always boggle our minds.   But he’s not distant.   He lives in us.   The infinite God has come to live in such a tiny home!   He is always with you.   He is always ready to shower his love and wisdom on you.   Just like the Father and the Son, he is always happy to spend time just with you.

-word among us