The Sprit’s Active Power
The mystery of the Trinity refers to one God in three persons. We frequently acknowledge Jesus as “the second person of the Trinity,” but referring also to the Spirit as a “person” comes less naturally. In religious art, the Holy Spirit often appears as a dove or, as in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, tongues of fire. Much rarer are images of the Spirit as a “person” in recognizable human form. Today’s readings do not settle the issue of how to picture the Spirit, but they certainly give shape to the Spirit’s active power in the world and in each human heart. In Acts, the Spirit enables people to speak and understand a variety of languages. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians praises the Spirit for all kinds of spiritual gifts, services, and “workings.” Finally, in John’s Gospel, Jesus calls the Spirit our Advocate and our divine teacher.
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St. Joseph Catholic Church, Clayton MO 