THE ADVOCATE IS HERE

 THE ADVOCATE IS HERE TO STAY 

By Frankline Shikami

Pentecost Sunday

Blind people do not see a prince who is among them. If they are told of his presence, they behave with respect. But in fact, since they do not see him, they easily forget his presence. Having forgotten it, they more easily lose respect and reverence. St. Francis de sales wrote these words in line with our relationship with God. He continues by saying that we do not see God who is present with us. Though faith reminds us of his presence, since we do not see him with our eyes, we very often forget and behave as though God was very far from us. In spite of knowing well that he is present everywhere, we are not attentive at all.

These gentle but firm words of the Bishop of Geneva (St. Francis) call for a moment of reflection. It is absolutely true! We are often blinded. However, that is neither the end nor the stopping point of the story. The scriptures give us a rather softer meat to chew, showing us that our life as pilgrims should be stepping stones towards eternal happiness. What is this “softer meat” or rather, who is this person?

I would describe him as someone who works in a prophetic, creative, free and Christocentric way. His works are accompanied by silence right from the time of creation, “Let us make man in our own image after our likeness…” (Gen 1:26). He is the one who descended on Jesus’ shoulder in the form of a dove (Lk 3:22), He is usually invoked by the priest at the time of consecration “Therefore we ask you to send your… so that they may become for us…” He is the HOLY SPIRIT. The third person in the trinity, the one Jesus promised to send to his disciples after he is taken from this world. It’s breathtaking to note that the church was born on the day of Pentecost.

Locked in the upper room together with Mary, the disciples were filled with the Holy spirit. They experienced a sudden transformation, spoke languages they never learnt, got a courage that never imagined, strength they didn’t physically work for, intelligence beyond their understanding and a path which clearly leads to sanctity.

The Holy spirit is not an illusion or a beautiful name inserted to make the trinity complete. He is THE ADVOCATE as Christ called him. Imagine if he walked with Christ for forty days in the desert. How far can he walk with us pilgrims in a foreign land. This reminds me of my Aspirant year when the Apostolic nuncio to Kenya visited our community. This is what he said with regards to priestly discernment,

Pray always through the Holy spirit… If you depend on your own will and whim, you will either not make it or you won’t be happy.

Pope Benedict XVI adds in his apostolic exhortation sacramentum caritatis (Sacrament of charity) that whatever the Holy spirit touches is completely transformed.

With all these in mind, it’s important to recognize that we might choose to live without the Holy spirit but at the end of the day the result will be futile. A salesian priest Fr. Michael, SDB while giving a retreat six days before Pentecost, said in his homily,

“We need to welcome the Holy spirit into our lives. Meditation could be deep but full of fantasy if it is not guided by the Holy Spirit. Prayers could become a matter of reciting and not a matter of the heart. We might even end up seeing mass as a routine and our hearts would become rigid in following the right thing.”

Pope Francis warmly said, “Things must always be renewed; renew the heart, renew the works, renew the organizations, because otherwise we would end up in a museum.” Adding to these words, Sr. Maria Cimperman, RSCJ wrote in her book which is titled religious life for our world and said, “So not only renew the old but allow the Holy spirit to create the new, make room for the Holy Spirit, allow the Holy spirit to create the new and make all things new”

In a nutshell,  we might be blinded, yes, but the spirit is always there to hold our hands
and walk with us towards reaching Christ. Let’s endorse with the sentiment of Pope Benedict XVI that whatever the Holy Spirit touches is completely transformed and allow ourselves to be transformed by him who is light and strength.