MSB {31}: Skydiving with the Holy Spirit

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Okay.  Quick aside since with crazy crazy life life I’m pretty much only able to write once a week.

I met Kirby from the Internet!

The delightful Kirby blogs over at Under Thy Roof about faith, mothering, and ballet.  And it turns out she’s a real person!

We both attended a homeschool conference in Minnesota this weekend, being tempted by All The Books For Sale as well as listening to various speakers.  It was worth the long car ride!

 

Now on to My Sunday Best!

As I just mentioned, we traveled this weekend for the conference, and shortly after Mass we hit the road for our four hour journey home.  When we left on our adventure on Friday, we were having our carpets cleaned.  All our furniture was crammed into our kitchen/dining room and bathrooms.  That would have been one fun game of bathroom hot lava…

Thus we returned to a home perfect for dance parties, not great for actually living.  Plus I had to keep the kids from spilling things on the never-looked-so-good carpet.  Which is a full-time job.  So David took My Sunday Best picture at 8:00pm.  The optimal time is right before Mass– before wilting happens.  But those minutes are so hectic, most my pictures happen after the sweaty wrestling match that Mass with a toddler is.   Today’s 8:00pm picture reaches new heights in harriedness and exhaustion.  Well.  You can see.  You get the idea.

When I was packing on Friday, I forgot that this weekend was Pentecost.  So none of us wore red.  I was too busy stacking furniture in weird places to think deeply about packing.   #pentecostfail

Mass was great.  The priest spoke about being open to the Holy Spirit, which makes sense thematically since it’s Pentecost.

He talked about how much openness to the Holy Spirit formed him.  How it enabled him to do things he never thought possible.  How it helped him utilize his charisms and accomplish more for the Kingdom.

He mentioned that Jesus didn’t choose the brightest bulbs to be his apostles.  (My words, not his.)  They weren’t all that well educated or amazingly virtuous.  But with the help of the Holy Spirit?  They became evangelization superheros.

Jesus is accessible.  He’s a human.  I’m a human.  We could get coffee— if either of us drank coffee, and we weren’t separated by thousands of years and miles— and commiserate about our joys and sufferings and body-ness.

God the Father is a father.  I have a father.  He teaches me and guides me and fixes stuff.

But the Holy Spirit?!?!  Definitely the hardest to relate to.  What do you do with a-dove-fire-wind guy?  Turns out you listen and get super powers.

 

 

The priest told the story about a fundraiser for their local Catholic school.  All the area priests were encouraged to offer some sort of “______ with a priest” as an item to be auctioned off.  I’ve seen that before.  Usually it’s something to the effect of the priest will cook a meal and share it with the winner of the auction.  Pay $600 and Father will make you a pie.  Sounds like a good deal to me.

This priest picked “Skydiving with a priest” for his contribution.  He said that lots of people he knew wanted to try skydiving, but they were afraid they’d die.  So he said he’d do it, too, and give last rites if things went south.  (Is that funny or what?!?!)

As he was preparing for the jump with the auction winner, the instructor said that most injuries happen from hesitating.  People pause-panic-wait– and that wavering causes injury.  The instructor’s advice was not to delay.  To move confidently without thinking about it too much.

The priest said that that’s exactly how we need to approach the Holy Spirit.  Just jump.

I’m in.  But I’m not sure exactly what to do about it.  I’ve wanted to learn more about charisms for many moons, but I didn’t know where to start.  And so it fizzled.  How do I just jump?

One thing I noticed at the conference this weekend was how many speakers began their prayers with, “Come, Holy Spirit.”  Seems to imply that the Holy Spirit is polite– He won’t come where He isn’t invited.  That’s simple enough.  It’s an easy change to add that to my prayers.

What else?  Any tips on growing in understanding of the Holy Spirit?

Better stop typing before I fall asleep on the keyboard.  Happy Pentecost!

 

10 Comments


  1. // Reply

    The Holy Spirit is polite! Okay, I never really thought about the “Come Holy Spirit” prayer that way, but I like it! And your My Sunday Best photo is just too adorable 🙂


  2. // Reply

    Like you, I struggle to nail down a concept of the Holy Spirit! I love, love, *love* the analogy of skydiving!! And, like you, maybe I need to be better at the simple act of inviting the Holy Spirit into my life… ?

    There is a book (I own) which is Daily Devotions to the Holy Spirit – or something like that… it’s hidden away right now, but I will try to check on the title – gives a daily reflection and simple prayer. (It got moved in our last move, I haven’t looked for it since… only to know it wasn’t where I thought it was the last time I looked…)

    I was thrilled when Kirby mentioned meeting you – I was totally hoping there’d be picture for proof! And, I am tickled to hear you are both real people!


  3. // Reply

    How wonderful that you ladies got to meet in real life! I met a few bloggers for the first time at the National IHM conference that is held yearly in Virginia. I wasn’t smart enough to ask for a picture, though I did get to meet them again at our regional blogging conference, and there are pictures from those meetings. I love that you got photographic proof! I think you look nice in your dress, despite the late hour.


  4. // Reply

    Huh. I don’t think anyone in the family wore red. Plus, I’ll probably forget that before next Pentecost. Symbolic use of clothing isn’t my strong suit.

    Good ideas, and once a week is once a week. I’m looking forward to next week.


  5. // Reply

    Happy Pentecost! Have you checked lately for a local Called & Gifted workshop? I see from your other post you’ve heard of it!

    My husband and I are going to the workshop in August, because our new parish has a small group for Called & Gifted. Very excited!


    1. // Reply

      There isn’t anything nearby, unfortunately. You’ll have to tell me all about your experience in August! 🙂


  6. // Reply

    I usually try for pictures before Mass too – definitely ended up with a wilted post-Mass picture this week as well! I love the striped dress, though 🙂 Stripes are my favorite!

    I hope the moving/buying/selling process goes well! I know it can be (can be? ALWAYS is, right?) so, so stressful, so I will pray for peace for you all. Let’s see the Holy Spirit help with that! Peaceful fire? That’s a thing, right?


  7. // Reply

    It’s so fun to finally know for sure that our internet friends are real live people!

    Have you seen the Deddens’ novena booklet “9 Days to a Deeper Prayer Life with the Holy Spirit?” It’s on my 2017 to-read booklist…which I’ve been neglecting ?


    1. // Reply

      Oooh! I have not. That sounds like the sort of book that would be a good next step for me. Thanks for sharing!

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