“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).
Do you understand why wind is used to describe the Holy Spirit? Wherever the wind blows, change occurs; and there is movement with everything in its path. This is how the Spirit of God enters into our lives. The breath of God empowers disciples and renews our souls.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
In religion class, we have been discussing the power of the Holy Spirit in creation, covenant and salvation. The catechism defines God’s plan and His covenants, the greatest being our salvation through the life of Jesus Christ. The revelation of God in all His plans and promises communicates His love for us with truth and knowledge. Children understand truth from scripture and divine revelation when presented with proper instruction. They can clearly see that God’s love will always triumph over evil – and they have nothing to fear.
We watched the Fatima movie on Oct. 13. Our seven-year-old grandson said, “Well, now I have seen what hell looks like; I am going to make sure I never go there!” The next morning, he came to breakfast wearing his St. Benedict bracelet and cross necklace. He casually mentioned, “I thought I would wear these today.” There are many distractions in life, with work, school and family responsibilities, for children and adults. But, when the gift of faith comes first, everything is less challenging. My grandson understood that the image of Hell shown to the children of Fatima was scary, but he also knows God promises to protect those who love Him.
Every Friday, we study the scripture readings for the upcoming weekend Mass. We talk about the gospel and imagine what the homily message might be. This is a great way to prepare children for Mass and anticipate what Father or Deacon might share from the readings. We all benefit when we are fully prepared to attend holy Mass.
One afternoon, I gave the boys a little break from class to get rid of some energy outdoors. I looked out the window and discovered something so fun that I had to go out and video the spontaneous joy I was witnessing. The three of them stood side-by-side looking up at the sky, and when a gust of wind came up they took off with the speed of light to catch the leaves that were falling down from the trees. The boys were so involved in the sport of leaf catching they didn’t notice I was watching. They were laughing and running as they yelled, “I got this one, or you’re mine!” They fell down, collapsed with exhaustion, and would get up and start all over again.
This child play was a perfect visual of why wind is a symbol to describe the Holy Spirit. We look up to heaven for the right moment to chase after the power God gives to us. We catch it and claim it as our own gift; we fall, but get back up and do it all over again because we know God loves us so much!
The next time you feel a gust of wind blowing and moving things about, stop and give thanks to God for the beautiful gifts of the Holy Spirit. We may not know where it is coming from or where it is going, but we know we were born for it. Pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to guide your life in everything you do. Amen!