The Third Day of Advent: “The Spirit of the Lord Shall Rest Upon Him”

These words, written by the prophet Isaiah, point to Jesus who, when baptized by John, was confirmed by the Holy Spirit as the Christ of God and strengthened to begin His earthly mission.

The same Holy Spirit is given to each of us in Baptism. In my own life, I lived by my own power for many years. I had no idea who the Holy Spirit was and what He could do in me and through me. All my efforts to live a good life and find happiness failed. It wasn’t until I opened my heart and asked God to fill me with His life that things began to change.

So, how can we receive more of the grace of the Holy Spirit in our lives this Advent? Through two simple prayers. First, ask God to stir up the grace you received at Baptism and make it a living reality in your heart. Second, ask God for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of The Trinity and wants to have a relationship with you! He wants to give us wisdom, understanding, and strength. He wants to produce the fruit of peace, joy, and love in your life!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says God the Father reveals things to the “childlike”. Let us, with childlike faith, ask for more of the Holy Spirit so that this Christmas we won’t just celebrate Jesus, but we can become more like Him.

If you want to discover more about the Holy Spirit and how to live a life lead by His wisdom, strength and love, join me this summer at the Power and Purpose Conference held on the campus of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.