This Goodness Glue to Bond the World

Someone once asked me, "What does the Holy Spirit have to do with the world?" The question was in the context of the thought that the world is evil. "Oh, She only has got business with the world," I replied.

I said: First of all, God creates through the Spirit. The very second verse of the Bible says that.

Second, through provision, God sustains and nourishes all the creatures in the world, and He does it through the Spirit. (God is not the one who created and then ran away. The Christian vision is that the Kingdom of God is to come on earth. God governs the world every moment as a loving ruler.)

Third, by giving common grace, the Spirit makes all people grow - not just Christians - in goodness and life.

Fourth, it is the Holy Spirit who moves human history forward 'straight of course through crooked lines.'

Fifth, it is the Holy Spirit who is constantly transforming the universe and everything in it into the image of God's firstborn, Christ, the blueprint for all of humanity.

§ # §

The Holy Spirit is believed to be the Spirit person and power of God the Father and Christ the Son. Christians who believe in the Triune God accept the Holy Spirit as a person. That is, they know her, the Sapiencia and are in a personal relationship with her. But according to Christian belief, the power of the Holy Spirit pervades every living being and every particle of the universe. ‘Come, O Creator Spirit, and renew the face of the earth’ is one of the most important prayers in the Christian tradition.

***

The book of Acts is full of the actions of the Holy Spirit. Peter concludes his maiden sermon by bearing witness to the Holy Spirit, saying, "This Jesus God raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this Spirit which you now see and hear" (2:32-33). When Peter and the apostles were arrested for preaching Christ and were brought before the Sanhedrin, they said, "... God exalted him to his right hand as Lord and Savior. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey Him" (5: 31,32). The first Christian martyr, Deacon Stephen, also ends his sermon before he was stoned to death by saying: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit” (7:51)!

***

Not once or twice, but 56 times in the Gospels; 57 times in the Acts of the Apostles, known as the Gospel of the Holy Spirit; 112 times in the letters of the Apostle Paul; 36 times in the remaining New Testament books - are there references to the Holy Spirit!

***

According to the Indian cosmological understanding, everything is made of the five elements. They are earth, air, fire, water, and sky. Sky is space. The element ‘earth’ should be understood as the material part. Any thing or living being can only exist in space. Or any living thing needs the space that it will occupy. The most basic of any 'thing' is the space and matter. In addition to space and matter: fire, air, and water are the three other elements that constitute in varying degrees, making everything with its specific identity. Isn't it surprising to see that the three metaphors that Jesus uses when talking about the Holy Spirit are these three elements?! Fire, air/wind, and water?!

They are three formless with three natures. Jesus wants water to rain down and soak the earth, He wants fire on the earth, and He also says that the wind on earth should blow wherever it wants!

***

When we talk about the Holy Spirit - the truth is that nothing that is not completely anti-love, cruel, and divisive be said to be not from the Holy Spirit. All are various manifestations of the One Holy Spirit!

***

A thought of the American Friar Fr. Richard Rohr, known as a mystic, is very remarkable. Through his numerous lectures and books, he has given the world many reflections on Christianity and the Holy Spirit in our time. He describes the Spirit as the"goodness glue" that reigns within us. He describes the Holy Spirit as: pure divine gift; immanent presence; stable consciousness; magnetic center; God-directing compass; program language; Divine DNA; universal firstfruits; warmth of the heart; flowing wild stream; unknown cloud; heart examiner; holy healing; tears of God; divine joy; intense love; breath of breath; all these things.

***

Understanding the ego in us will give us more clarity about the Holy Spirit. In our baptism what we wash away is our 'ignorance', our not knowing. Ignorance is sin. It is based on our selfish 'ego'. What is our ego? Jesus calls the Pharisees and the lawyers "hypocrites." Fr. Rohr bases his thought on the 'ego' from this point of view. The ego is the false self. Our false self is smaller than our true great self (Jn. 8:34). Our false self is self-protective (the grain of wheat that sits by itself: Jn. 12:24); is narcissistic (not self-denying: Mt. 16:24); considering one self as isolated (Rom. 14:7); considering one self bigger than others (self-exalting: Lk. 14:21); considering one self as center of the world (Son of Man has come to serve: Mk.10:45). The 'ego' fears failure (do not be afraid: Mt. 10:31), is resistant to change (repent: Mt. 3:2), and prioritizes stability over growth (Mk. 4:26-32).

The false self is the shadow self. The shadow self is not evil in itself. However, by following the shadow, we are walking the path of evil. We think that what we do is good. This is the problem that arises from mistaking the shadow for reality. Jesus was very clear about this, right? He did not hate sinners. He was trying to correct the Pharisees and lawyers who were arrogant and thought that they were doing good even while walking the path of sin: the false/shadow self.

Not only individuals, but also the group formed of individuals those who consider the shadow as reality: be it a society, a community, a Church, can become evil. And they can be more deadly than individuals. For this reason, there will be a large number of people in many religious communities who easily judge others and their actions in a moralistic manner. We will also see in them self-righteousness, racism and militarism. They would hold that anything that does not fit with "our" group, community, religion, political party, etc. is evil. Look, all of that are in 'other' groups, 'other' communities, 'other' communities, 'other' religions, 'other' political parties. Therefore, all of the above-mentioned OTHERS are evil. They must be opposed and destroyed. This sort of thinking is the real evil.

We cannot avoid our shadow. All we can do is to recognize the monkey-games that the 'shadow' make us play; and not to fall for its games.

What is important is to turn to the light. In the Gospels, especially in the Gospel according to John, this One theme is very central. Signs that an individual or a society is resisting the Holy Spirit are the fear that grows in the individual or society; the feeling that they are insecure and the urge to secure themselves; the strong feeling of otherness; hatred for "others"; and an urge to divide.

The signs of connectedness to the Holy Spirit are the sense that: "We, though many, are one body"; "Though there are different functions, the body is one"; "There is no difference between slave and free, between male and female"; "The whole house is united into one in Christ"; "The body of Christ is not divided"; and such similar attitudes and convictions.

***

Jesus introduces his Holy Spirit to us as our 'helper' or 'advocate'. Jesus has promised that he will be with us until the end of the age. He is said to be within us to intercede for us. That means, we can imagine that things will be like this at the final judgment. That is: who is the judge? God.; who did suffer for our case and did all the background work? Again, God; who is going to be the attorney who will argue out our case? Again, God! The prosecutor who slanders and accuses is from outside - Satan. In fact he does not know the case. Because he does not know us completely. Because he has never been human. Consequently he does not know our weaknesses. For sure, his arguments will not stand. God will win the case! Because, it is going to be the Holy Spirit who argues our case.

***

It is through the Holy Spirit that God prepares a suitable bride for his Son. In fact, she is taken from him. Bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh! It is the Holy Spirit who, as she matures, clenses her of all dirt and stain natural of childishness and will dress her up and will lead her to the wedding hall, making her beautiful!

Our mentor and beautician!!