Homilette for Monday, May 21, 2007

Monday, VII Easter

(Acts 19)

Talking with a few young men recently, I asked them if they knew who Pete Seeger was. They answered like the disciples in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. They said something like that they had never even heard of Pete Seeger.

As edifying as it is to have heard Pete Seeger in concert, the experience can hardly be compared to having the Holy Spirit. The Spirit makes us children of God. We perhaps can say that the Spirit makes us God-like. We are peaceful, united and above all loving because of the Holy Spirit.

Is it necessary that we know about the Holy Spirit? Or is it enough that we have Him? Of course, discursive knowledge is not as crucial as having the Holy Spirit. However, knowing who the Spirit is and what He can do for us should help our appreciation of Him. The more we reflect on this greatest of gift, the more ways we might put it to use for everyone’s benefit. It’s like Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The more we reflect on it, the more we know ourselves and the world around us.