Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love.

In a world in much need of love and reconciliation, the Holy Spirit arrives like a strong gust of wind to liberate us from our dark places of isolation, loneliness, disappointment, and woundedness.  The Holy Spirit arrives and fills our spaces with hope and the knowledge that we have not been left alone.  The reconciling presence of the Holy Spirit bridges our differences.  The Holy Spirit breaks through our boundaries and walls so we may hear each other and know each other just as we are. 

Holy Spirit, give us courage.

I find myself identifying with the disciples in the Gospel, hiding behind closed doors, afraid to face the world or encounter anyone after experiencing something difficult or painful.  I hide behind closed doors, hoping that everything that caused pain or frightened me will be gone with time.  However, what happens instead is a slow and silent death of oneself caused by relentless fear.  Life is stalled.  “Where is my courage?” I ask myself.  Where is Jesus?  This is where prayer comes in; through prayer, Jesus breathes new life into me and then gifts me with the Holy Spirit.  Accompanied by the Holy Spirit, I find that I can open the locked doors.  I might not be completely confident or courageous when those doors open, but I know that with the persistent love and all-encompassing peace of the Holy Spirit, I am not alone, and neither are you.  Have you felt the presence of the Holy Spirit accompanying you in your life?  When have you accompanied someone needing courage and assurance?

Come, Holy Spirit, fill us with peace.

“Peace be with you,” Jesus says.  It is rare to feel peace for more than a few minutes these days.  All we need to do is turn on the television, get on social media, or encounter someone who tends to push our buttons, and there goes our peace of mind.  However, our experience of the day is much different when we are accompanied by the Holy Spirit.  When we invite the Holy Spirit into every experience, we can do God's works with confidence and courage.  We can begin our day creating the space we need to allow the Holy Spirit to liberate us and empower us. 

My friends, let us invite the Holy Spirit who breaks down the walls of a stubborn heart, heals the broken, melts the frozen, and guides our steps.  We are in much need of the reconciling presence of the Spirit, which draws us into communion with each other, yes, other members of the body of Christ.
Come, Holy Spirit, rest on us, dwell in us, stay with us.