Spirit of Divine Life 

The Creed calls the Spirit the “Lord and giver of Life.” 

The Good News is Christians have both human life from “the flesh,” and divine Life from the Spirit: “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).”You are not [just] in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9).  

All Three Persons give Life together. But we “attribute” this to each Person differently. As Creator, God just gives created life. He only becomes our Father when he shares his own uncreated Life with us. What makes us be divinely is “the will of my Father” (John 6:37-40). We know divinely because the Son, Word of God, took flesh as Light of Life (John 1:1; Matthew 11:27). We act divinely by the work of the Spirit: “I will pour out my Spirit… and your sons and daughters shall prophesy… see visions… dream dreams” (Acts 2:17). 

We experience divine Life by the Holy Spirit who “testifies” (1John 5:6), crying, “Abba! Father!” in our hearts (Galatians 4:6); and by being baptized “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). 

ACTION: Change your sense of identity. You are not just human; you are divine, called to live and act on the level of God. Cultivate awareness of this as the first step in “living by the Spirit.” 

PRAYER: Lord, send me your Spirit. 

— Fr. David M. Knight

View today’s Mass readings on the USCCB website here

Easter season is the time to focus on the Holy Spirit. Starting on Easter Sunday, we will look carefully at how the Spirit is proclaimed, invoked, and presented to us in the Mass. Lex orandi, lex credendi: “As the Church prays, so she believes.”

After that, we will reflect on the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Galatians 5:22), and at how the Spirit enters the life of those who believe.

As you read these reflections, ask for the gift of Understanding. Ask to really understand what you believe, what you see and hear at Mass. Go deeper into understanding the Mass than you ever have before. We experience the Faith when we become aware of its mystery. We hope you reflect deeply on the Mass and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and find yourself more and more drawn into the mysteries of our Lord in the Mass and in His Gifts.