“The Holy Trinity doesn’t need our permission to carry on in their endlessly resourceful work of making all things new. That we are invited to catch even a glimpse of the splendor is grace. All of it, every breath and every second is grace.” ~ Rachel Held Evans
Sometimes, a turn of a phrase really catches my attention. I really like how Evans states “that we are invited to catch even a glimpse of the splendor.” We are so often an “all in” kind of people. We want all or nothing, go big or go home, the whole enchilada. We don’t think of grasping itsy bitsy pieces of anything.
And yet, as human beings, that is about all that we can grasp of God. We can only glimpse the smallest fraction of the smallest fraction of God’s immensity. To see anything more than that would mean death since our frail human nature would not be able to perceive the whole of God. The Old Testament was chock full of reminders of that. They knew that if one looked upon the face of God, one would die.
So God portions Himself out to us, if you will, a tiny piece at a time. We call that grace. Today, we try to comprehend the majesty of a Triune God. God is three distinct persons yet one God. It doesn’t seem possible. We can practically hear our brain cells sizzle as they try to compute that fact. Yet God continues to reveal Himself to us piece by piece.
As He reveals Himself to us piece by piece, He pours His gifts into us in order to give us what we need to face this world while living as witnesses of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, as He prepared to ascend to heaven, promised that He would send the Spirit into the lives of His followers so that they would have all that they needed to continue His mission.
We celebrate the gifts of the Holy Spirit in a special way when we are confirmed. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are poured into us at baptism and confirmation, to be sure, but also given to us in the celebration of the other sacraments. Deacon Steven Caraher experienced that outpouring yesterday at Holy Angels Cathedral as he was ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Gary.
As we all try to live our lives of faith, I encourage you to remain open to the Holy Spirit who helps to reveal to us the many facets of the Most Holy Trinity. Use the gifts of the Spirit for the betterment of all.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to reveal Himself to you a little more each day.