Acts 20:17-27
“But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem.” (Acts 20:22)
Every Sunday at Mass we affirm our belief in the Holy Spirit when we pray the Creed: “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.” Such powerful words—and so often spoken quickly and without much reflection. What would it be like if we were all aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit and his promptings in our daily lives?
In Scripture, we see the Holy Spirit affecting the lives and decisions of so many people—even Jesus himself! Paul was compelled by the conviction of the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem. Mary was compelled to say “yes” to the angel and become the Mother of God. Peter was compelled to visit Cornelius’ house and baptize the first Gentiles into the church. Even Jesus was compelled by the Spirit to go into the desert to fast and pray.
The Holy Spirit wants to play an active role in our lives, just as he did in the lives of these early believers. He wants to counsel us and give us just the right words to say to someone who is hurting. He wants to console us when we are feeling unworthy or hopeless. He wants to help us see our sin, and then lead us into the freedom of his mercy. He wants to convince us of God’s passionate love for us so that we can walk through our days with our heads held high.
So how can we hear the Spirit? The obvious answers include prayer, fasting, and Scripture. But we should also be looking for those times when a new, unexpected sense arises in our hearts: spontaneous thoughts of love or mercy, or maybe a new insight into a Scripture passage or a possible new direction in our lives. Follow these senses. Test them out, and see if they bring you joy, hope, or peace. If so, you can be sure that the Holy Spirit is behind them. The more you practice, the clearer the Spirit’s voice will become.
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