Making a bonfire. So many people only focus on fuel. More wood, more gas, but it needs air and heat.
A historical event that has become a personal event and gift, gift of the Spirit. Pentecost the feast of weeks: 7 weeks mirroring the 7 days, the giving of the law. Holy Spirit gives birth to the Church comes upon the apostles. Who is the Holy Spirit? He is not part of God, the true reality of God’s life and love, the Bond and Pledge of Father and Son’s love. God’s love is communicated. Spirit, breath, life.
God has given us his very life, all that is God is given to us. The giver gives himself, the gift is also the giver. The Spirit comes and is given to all and to each. He is given to the Church, the Spirit is the Soul of the Church, but he is also the soul of each member. People who met mother Teresa, John Paul and so many of the other saints said that the most remarkable thing about them is that they treated each person in front of them as if they were the only person in the world. Not just a gift, but a personalized gift. What is given is also the giver himself. To imprint not an abstract image but a clear and vivid image of Jesus on us, that each of us, but also all of us may becomes Jesus.
Holy Spirit is given us at baptism but then we are sealed at confirmation not to be removed, the event becomes a gift now. Yet, as a gift, it is a true sign that this is not just a part of me or confirms me as me.
Fuel: feeding the spirit in our hearts: love Philip Neri story.
Air: God takes what we give him. He goes not give himself completely until we give ourselves completely.
Heat: flame near the fire. We have to stay close to the church. The Holy Spirit is the soul of church and its impossible to have one without the other. So many eastern spiritualities out there, new age practices, kundalini self help, everyone wants self salvation through means of mental health. A fractioning.