“When you send forth your spirit,
they are created.”
Animated by the Spirit, the divine
breath, we who are His creatures
sing of the glory of our Creator.
Our psalmist affirms, “When you
send forth your Spirit, you renew
the face of the earth.”
God our Creator is the source of
all natural life. So also the Holy Spirit
is the source of all supernatural life.
We are nothing without the divine
breath -- “If you take away their breath,
they perish and return to their dust.”
It is this same creative breath that came
down on the disciples in that locked room
St Luke speaks of in today's first reading.
(Acts 2:1-4)
The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples
to go forth and proclaim the Gospel boldly
to men of all nations, speaking different tongues.
We too are called to be baptized in the Spirit,
and to receive the divine breath of the Lord.
Having been baptized in the Spirit, we are a
new creation, and are called to glorify the Lord
in what we do. In this way, as the Psalm says,
“May the Lord be glad in his works.”
Fortunately for us too, the Spirit is manifested
in each of us for some benefit, as St Paul
reminds us in today's second reading.
(1 Corinthians 12:7)
All we have to do is accept Christ and
believe in Him.
Without the breath of the Holy Spirit, we have
no spiritual life. But thanks to God's gift,
we are a new creation; we are baptized into
Christ, and we share in the divinity of our Lord.
And that alone gives us reason to praise God.
As our psalmist says, “Pleasing to Him be my
theme; I will be glad in the Lord.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. As in our Psalm, do you also feel the presence of the 'divine breath'
in your spiritual life? Speak of how the Holy Spirit is at work in your life.
2. Our psalmist says that the Spirit of the Lord 'renews the face of the earth.'
2. Our psalmist says that the Spirit of the Lord 'renews the face of the earth.'
Tell of how you are a new creation, after having been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
"When you send forth your spirit, they are created.”
ReplyDeleteOur Psalmist mentions a reason to praise God. For He is supreme over the entire universe. Accordingly He creates and maintains his creation as well. He handles our lives. And so God sends his Spirit. All things are created by Him and He renews the face of earth. Our every breath depends on the Spirit he has breathed into us. We all are born with His Spirit.
Talking about my spiritual life, without feeling the presence of the divine breath, I will lose the way to God, because the Holy Spirit is my councilor and convicts me whenever I do wrong. He is my eye opener, giving me discernment and the wisdom of God when I read the Bible.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit makes me to feel as a prisoner of God, preventing me doing worldly things which I used to enjoy to do. This is good for me because He gives me insight to avoid to do things that displease God.
After being baptized in the Holy Spirit, I have become more sensitive, understanding toward others' suffering and needs. I also have more desire to share with them in serving the Lord.
Thank God for his creativity and sending forth his Spirit. We are a new creation.
Praise the Lord, O my soul!