A Story
At dawn on October 7, 1571, the fleet of the Holy League, formed from most of the European countries, rowed down the west coast of Greece and turned east into the Gulf of Patras. When the morning mist cleared, the Christians, rowing directly against the wind, saw the squadrons of the larger Ottoman Turkish fleet arrayed like a crescent from shore to shore, bearing down on them under full sail. |
As the fleets grew closer, the Christians could hear the gongs and cymbals, drums and cries of the Turks. The men of the Holy League quietly pulled at their oars, the soldiers stood on the decks in silent prayer. Priests holding large crucifixes marched up and down the decks exhorting the men to be brave and hearing final confessions.
Then the wind shifted 180 degrees. The sails of the Holy League ships filled and drove them into battle. Now heading directly into the wind, the Turks were forced to strike their sails. The tens of thousands of Christian galley slaves who rowed the Turkish vessels felt the sharp sting of the lash summoning them up from under their benches and demanding they take hold of their oars and pull against the wind. It was a battle that the Holy League confederation won saving Europe from Turkish domination. Christians throughout Europe, who had been seeking the Virgin Mary’s intercession by praying the rosary, saw this victory as the work of the Holy Spirit and Divine intervention.
Then the wind shifted 180 degrees. The sails of the Holy League ships filled and drove them into battle. Now heading directly into the wind, the Turks were forced to strike their sails. The tens of thousands of Christian galley slaves who rowed the Turkish vessels felt the sharp sting of the lash summoning them up from under their benches and demanding they take hold of their oars and pull against the wind. It was a battle that the Holy League confederation won saving Europe from Turkish domination. Christians throughout Europe, who had been seeking the Virgin Mary’s intercession by praying the rosary, saw this victory as the work of the Holy Spirit and Divine intervention.
YOUR IMAGE OR CONCEPT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
What experiences helped formed your understanding of The Holy Spirit?
How would you tell another person who the Holy Spirit is?
What experiences helped formed your understanding of The Holy Spirit?
How would you tell another person who the Holy Spirit is?
The Holy Spirit of God
The presence of the Spirit of God is manifested in the form of Wind and Fire.
> The Virtues of the Spirit: Faith, Hope, Love, Justice, Courage, Prudence, Temperance and other virtues
such as Fidelity, Gratitude, Self-care, Citizenship and more.
> The Gifts of the Spirit: Fear (Awe) of the Lord, Fortitude, Piety, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding and
Wisdom.
> The Fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness,
Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control and Chastity.
The presence of the Spirit of God is manifested in the form of Wind and Fire.
- The Dove is often used as a symbol of the Spirit’s presence. Whenever the Dove is mentioned in the Bible you know the Wind (the Spirit) is present.
- Like the wind, the Spirit goes where it wills.
- Likewise Fire moves in mysterious ways.
- When the Angel appeared to Mary asking her to become the mother of Jesus and she asked how this could be, the Angel responded, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Lk 1:35)
- Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descend upon him like a dove; and a voice came from heavens, ‘You are my beloved Son.’ (Mk 1:9-11)
- During the Last Supper, Jesus spoke at length with his disciples. He told them “ I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth. (Jn 14: 16-17) The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name – he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. (Jn 14:25). The Holy Spirit is like our personal coach guiding us in all we think, say or do.
- On Pentecost, the Spirit would enable Jesus’s disciples ‘to get it’, to finally understand what Christ was teaching them. The Spirit would give them the courage to live as Christ taught. And the Spirit would guide and strengthen them to share the Good News of God’s Way of Life, a way of right relationships, goodness and life with others.
- The Pentecost event, which has many parallels with the Creation story, marks the promised coming of the Holy Spirit. It is the beginning of the Church. The gift of the Spirit to those first disciples continues in our own day. (Acts Chapter 2). It is the Spirit who enlightens, guides, strengthens and consoles the disciples of the Risen Christ on their journey of life. The Spirit provides the disciples with lively virtues, seven gifts and twelve fruits.
> The Virtues of the Spirit: Faith, Hope, Love, Justice, Courage, Prudence, Temperance and other virtues
such as Fidelity, Gratitude, Self-care, Citizenship and more.
> The Gifts of the Spirit: Fear (Awe) of the Lord, Fortitude, Piety, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding and
Wisdom.
> The Fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness,
Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control and Chastity.
Our Catholic Story:
As Catholics we believe:
As Catholics we believe:
- Jesus promised not to leave us orphans.
- It is the Spirit who keeps us united with God the Father, with the Risen Christ and with one another.
- It is the Holy Spirit who helps us discern what we as disciples need to do, strengthens us to do what is good and right, and consoles us when things do not go well.
- The Risen Christ gives us life through the Spirit and the Church Community.
Your story
Would you modify your story of who the Holy Spirit is for you some way?
Other Questions
What other questions do you have or would like to ask?
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B) ________________________________________________________________
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