I am waiting for Sunday sermons with great impatience. I like when the sermons, full of emotion and passion, our young curate says. The parish priest speaks informally and often refers to everyday life. Next priest speaks very briefly, even laconically. The professor’s sermons are like lectures and often convey great theological knowledge in them.
Last sermon told on Pentecost`s Sunday, the professor began with stories about Jerzy Nowosielski, a Polish painter, draftsman, stage designer, philosopher and theologian. He recalled being considered one of the most iconic contemporary icon writers. He mentioned that perhaps the most beautiful place full of icons of Nowosielski is the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tychy. Perhaps paradoxically for Catholics, the main icon in the church is the icon of Our Lady. “The Orthodox Church does not recognize the personal representation of the third person of the Holy Trinity … in some way the Holy Spirit is most present in the icon of the Virgin Mary, because the Virgin Mary was his carrier … He manifested himself as an action, not a Person” (J.Nowosielski “Great Painters. Their life, inspiration and work “p.20)
Mary’s collaboration with the Holy Spirit is evident during the Annunciation. For this reason, Mary hears and accepts the Holy Spirit so that the Son of God may receive his body from her body.
The next manifestation of the Holy Spirit is the moment of Mary’s meeting with Elizabeth. “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1,43). The Holy Spirit, who filled his heart with Mary, opens the eyes of Elisabeth, who could recognize her relative’s condition as a woman but could not know for herself that Mary bears in the womb the God.
Many of us repeat that he does not really know the Holy Spirit, completely forgetting his baptism when the Holy Spirit purifies from original sin. On the other hand, every day, the Eucharist, in which the sacrifice of the Cross is presented, is the place of the presence of the Holy Spirit. In the liturgy the epicleist is used, the prayer is implored, so that the Holy Spirit descends into the gift of sacrifice and transforms it into the flesh and blood of Christ for the spiritual good of those who receive it.
Pentecost was the revelation of the Holy Spirit, who makes and sanctifies. Remember that after the death of Jesus, the disciples in terror and fear hid. People fear, come out of hiding and begin to preach the Good News. St. Peter, a simple fisherman, after the betrayal of Jesus, along with the other apostles, is in league with educated high priests: “We ought to obey God, rather than men” said Peter and the apostles. “The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging him upon a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And we are witnesses of these things and the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to all that obey him” (Acts 5: 29-32)
The Holy Spirit strengthens in us the image of the child of God, giving us gifts … wisdom, reason, counsel, fortitude, skill and fear of God. The seven gifts of the Spirit correspond to the fruit of the Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity (Galatians 5:22).
The Holy Spirit is in our lives. Let us not close our hearts and minds to His inspirations and gifts.
