Pentecost Birthday

If I could only make you realize the happiness of a soul who gives herself to the Holy Spirit wholly and without reserve! She is no longer the one who acts, it is God…She moves only to follow the Spirit’s inspirations. Everything becomes easy to her: the Holy Spirit has taken possession of her…If the happiness of an individual is so great, how much greater that of a Society that allows itself to be wholly guided by the Spirit and gives itself without reserve….It would be heavenly! What peace, what union and, at the same time, how much good would be accomplished.
Madeleine Sophie Barat, Pentecost, 6-2-1827

Every time I read the above quotation I resolve anew to give myself to the Holy Spirit "wholly and without reserve!" I remember as a young religious on the eve of the opening of summer school the Reverend Mother Vicar apologized for not naming the Religious who was to teach one of the courses that summer. She said, "I know this has been upsetting for some of you, but I had to wait for the Holy Spirit to tell me; the Religious has now been told and will be on the night train." I have never forgotten that and felt consoled to think that it was the Holy Spirit making the decisions. I suspect it was not a consolation to the Academic Dean of the College!

I am so grateful for the action of the Spirit in my life. As I look back over the years it is easy to see that many of the crossroads in my life were decided by the Holy Spirit. What a grace to know that we have received the Holy Spirit!