Acts 19:1-8
Psalm 68:2-7
John 16:29-33
Have you heard that there is a Holy Spirit? Christianity is not a tame religion. It is not just a mix of morality and Fall Festivals. There is a Holy Spirit, and if you are trying to be a Christian without the Holy Spirit, you are missing out. The Holy Spirit is our Consoler when we have to live through troubles. The Holy Spirit is the source of our love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, humility, and temperance.
The Holy Spirit is the power of God dwelling within us. He is the third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, equal to the Father and the Son. In short, the Holy Spirit is everything to a Christian. A Christian without the Holy Spirit is like a water balloon without water, like a day without light, like a fruit salad without fruit. In other words, a Christian without the Holy Spirit is basically just a normal person. We Christians are not supposed to be normal people; we are supposed to be inspired.
We Christians are supposed to live in the world, but act like strangers. We Christians are supposed to be simultaneously incomprehensible and awe-inspiring. We Christians are supposed to be like gods walking among men. How are we supposed to do that on our own? At best, Christianity lived out with human strength is a slight improvement on every other religion in the world. If there is no Holy Spirit, if we do not have God living inside of us, our claims fall flat.
I do not say this to make you depressed. I am not telling you all this to point out where you, and I, fall short of the glory that God has destined us for. I tell you, I tell myself, all this because it is still possible. We can still be converted. We can still be another St. Francis, Blessed Mother Theresa, St. Therese. It is never too late to be amazing. Not on your own, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is not going to be easy. Satan will be against us. The world will be against us. Our own fallen human nature will be against us. If we decide to become true Christians, we will face troubles for the rest of our lives. All of the regular troubles and more, but we will stand above them all because we do not belong to the world.
Jesus gives us, in the Gospel today, all the encouragement we need to begin following him today as if yesterday never happened:
“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
