This Sunday the Church celebrates the feast of Pentecost, the moment when a group of fearful persecuted friends of Jesus became emboldened by the gift of the Holy Spirit and began their mission to preach the reality of God's reign in the world.
The familiar account in the second chapter of Acts describes the presence of the Spirit as both a "mighty wind" and as "tongues of fire." The association of wind with both breath and spirit is familiar and well-documented. Breath is life, and wind is life invigorated, strengthened and given direction and purpose. But I want to think about the Spirit as a holy fire as well - as a force that purges and clears, that reduces anything that is extraneous to ash and leaves behind only the essential elements.
This was the image that struck me as I was asking God one more time to help me release the burdens of past mistakes, old sins, and entrenched failings. The answer to that prayer was quick and decisive: "It's done! All of that was taken away and forgiven from the cross. Whatever continues to trouble you is only there because you cling to it. The Holy Spirit has burned it away!"
Wait, what? Oh, yes, there it is in Matthew and Luke: John the Baptizer has told his followers, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." That fire will burn away everything that holds you back from him, that keeps you from entering joyfully into God's realm.
And then there is John's quiet version of Pentecost, found in chapter 20: He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” The Holy Spirit is the agent who enables each of us to release or retain their sins. The sins of any, oneself included.
Releasing old sins, ours or others, is no easy feat. But that is God's will, because that is how God sees us. Make no mistake: if they won't blow away in the wind then God will burn them away with Divine Fire. It is up to us to give our assent: Come Holy Spirit.
You insightfully wrote, “That fire will burn away everything that holds you back from him, that keeps you from entering joyfully into God's realm.” Indeed, the “holy fire” is all-consuming. It deconstructs us down to the core of our being, where we stand naked before God, who loves us unconditionally in our vulnerable state. The holy fire thus completes its work by restoring us to our original spiritual innocence.
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