O Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore you. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I ought to do, and command me to do it. I promise to submit myself to all that You ask of me, and to accept all that You permit to happen to me. Only let me know Your will. Amen.
“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word despite great trials, with the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit, Sweet Refreshment Here Below
Note: Meditations for Days 1 through 8 are based on the book Come Creator Spirit, by Rev. A. Biskupek, SVD, now out of print.
Restoration of exhausted energy, a happy and cheerful mood for serving God and facing the hardships of daily life—this is the effect of the holy spiritual refreshment we implore from the Holy Spirit. Wherever the Holy Spirit dwells, His love which is stronger than death, is operating. Not even the rising floods of tribulation can extinguish His eternal love for us. The love of the Holy Spirit is equal to all tasks and knows no weariness in hardship and labor. The Holy Spirit is never discouraged but constantly urges us on in our spiritual journey, no matter how arduous may be the path. When His love truly operates in us, we are content with what God chooses to send into our life. We seek the will of God, and this abandonment to divine providence releases interior joy and refreshment into our hearts.
The discomfort of bearing the daily cross, the monotony of everyday duties, can often result in a sense of fatigue and weariness. We sometimes feel we have spent the last ounce of energy and have no strength left to continue walking the way of the cross. The Holy Spirit comes to our aid to provide refreshment for our tired and weary hearts on the journey of life.. He can act directly, by bestowing new vigor, hope and strength to the soul, or He can do so indirectly through people, through reading, through events and things.
Discontent is a veritable cancer of the spiritual life. It stifles our growth, spreading its poison everywhere. It disturbs our peace of soul, because we don’t have what we want, or we must put up with what we don’t like. We begin to think the burden we carry is too heavy, or the work we are assigned is not suited to us. The place we live, the people we encounter might strain our nerves, and we feel like we are in a strait jacket. Discontent may deceive us into thinking that others succeed where we have failed, and all this may bring forth a sense of bitterness and rebellion against others, and against God Himself who is allowing this to happen. This is a dangerous state of mind which we must resist by turning to the Holy Spirit for help and strength and refreshment in the heat of temptation. All adversities can be borne if seen in His heavenly light. What might cause bitter discontent without the Holy Spirit, can be accepted with humility, detachment, patience and even joy when we surrender to the Holy Spirit.
How much peace our souls would enjoy even in adversity, and how much energy would be released for God and the salvation of souls, were we to depend more completely on the help of the Holy Spirit. As ice melts in the presence of fire, as clouds are dispersed by a strong wind, our tribulations will turn into joy at the presence and strengthening and refreshment of the Holy Spirit who can accomplish all if we allow Him.
Holy Spirit, refresh us daily with the fire of your love! Never allow discouragement or discontent to paralyze us in our advance toward union with God!