The Holy Spirit Dwells Within Us

A Scriptural Reflection by Fr. Jim Sullivan on the Mass Readings for Sunday, May 10, the Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts of the Apostles 8:5-8, 14-17
Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20
1 Peter 3:15-18
John 14:15-21

Today’s readings point us toward the Holy Spirit, though another preacher might well find other themes among them, as well. The Third Person of the Trinity is, in any event, the subject I have chosen for today’s reflection; I only a few times a year really preach on the Spirit.  

The first reading from Acts of the Apostles describes the conversion of Samaria. Samaria was the capital city of the Samaritans, who inhabited a central portion of the ancient land of Israel, and who on that account among others, had been despised by the Jews for centuries. Jesus had told the disciples at his ascension that they would spread the Good News to the ends of the earth, starting with Judea and Samaria (Acts 1:8). The Samaritans had a lot of religious beliefs in common with the Jews, including the belief in a Messiah.  

Today’s passage tells us that Philip was the apostle who took the Good News to Samaria (vs. 5). His preaching and the miracles worked through him resulted in a tremendous response from the people of the city, who received the Gospel with “great joy” (vs. 8). Hearing of Philip’s success, Peter and John traveled to Samaria, to pray with the Samaritans, asking God to send the Holy Spirit, for “it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized” (vs. 15). The apostles subsequently “laid hands on them” and the Samaritans “received the Holy Spirit” (vs. 17).  

This passage is one of several in Acts where we have what might be called a proof text for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Samaritans had accepted the Good News; they had been baptized. But receiving the Holy Spirit involved a second step, so to speak — the prayers of the apostles and the laying on of hands, which of course prefigures the Confirmation Rite.  

Psalm 66 extols God’s works with bright and joyful praise. It is by the power of the Spirit that we recognize God’s work in creation, in the spiritual realm, in salvation history, in our lives. While the psalm makes no specific reference to the Spirit, the psalm’s praises are powered by the Spirit (as, of course, is all of Scripture).

The second reading reminds us that Christ was “brought to life in the Spirit” following the crucifixion (vs. 18) and exhorts us to bear patiently with our own sufferings, in imitation of Jesus.

The Gospel passage continues the deep Trinitarian discourse of the fourteenth chapter of John, with Jesus promising that the Father will send the “Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth” (vss. 16-17). Jesus tells the disciples that they will know the Spirit, “because it remains with you and will be in you” (vs. 17).  

People often tell me that they feel that they do not know the Spirit. They know the Father, they might say, they know Jesus, they almost always say, but the Spirit…Jesus gives us a hint in today’s Gospel passage as to why it might be that we feel we do not know the Spirit. The Spirit is IN us. Not outside, but in.  

Of course, that is taking a short-cut to try to make a vital point. The Spirit is knowable from outside sources as well — as today’s psalm testifies. We can recognize the Spirit in creation, in nature, in the good works of others, and in a variety of other ways, but…

The Spirit dwells within us. Our discipleship itself is lived in, through, with and by the Spirit and the association is so intimate that we might not even be aware of it, most of the time. The analogy I like — and which I know I have used before in these written homilies — is that of the eyes. It is BY our eyes, THROUGH our eyes, WITH our eyes, that we see everything. But we cannot see our eyes.  

One way to get a more than passing acquaintance with the Holy Spirit is to go to the Catechism and study the long list of entries which follows The Holy Spirit in the index. “Source and Master of Prayer,” for instance. “The Lord, the Giver of life,” for instance. “The Living Memory of the Church,” for instance. The list literally goes on and on. And simply reading these entries, many of them titles, gives us deep insights into Who the Holy Spirit is and how the Spirit is at work in creation, in the work of salvation, in the prayer, the ministries, the Sacraments of the Church and in our lives.

In any event, we know the Holy Spirit better than we might be inclined to think.  

Hope your Easter season is proving bright and joyous. Take good care and God Bless.

Love,

Fr. Jim