A verse in the Book of Psalms says, Lord, send us your spirit and renew the face of the earth. This is a profound message that is translated into a song.
Renewal is like getting a good night’s sleep. We wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. We feel energized. We feel like a new creation. On the contrary, if we do not sleep well, we feel tired, less inspired, and unready to face the day.
The same is true with our spiritual life. The Holy Spirit invigorates us. If we have a healthy spiritual life, it sustains and nurtures our relationships and other aspects of life, including the physical.
On this feast of Pentecost, we need to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit, who prompts us to live with hope, faith, and excitement in ordinary moments, joyful times, and challenging circumstances. The Holy Spirit recharges and renews us. Let me give some suggestions on how we can renew our lives in God’s spirit:
- Take care of ourselves. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Rest, exercise, eat well, take a break. We use our strength to serve God and to be closer to Him and our neighbors.
- Put the best effort into something that we do. We are called to participate in the working of the Holy Spirit. There is a saying: do the best, do the right things, and God will take care of the rest. For instance, if we take an important examination, we pray and study at the same time. We don’t just pray and leave everything up to God. Like in a relationship, we must find time and effort to reciprocate and nurture our hearts, so they grow in constant love.
- Pray and always observe the Sabbath. Even though we do not feel like praying or coming to church on Sunday, come anyway. Let’s tell ourselves, even though I am dragging myself before you, Lord, I go because I want to see you.
- Ask God for forgiveness. The sacrament of reconciliation is available for us to receive God’s forgiveness and healing mercy. We must also be ready and willing to forgive ourselves and others. In doing so, we can be a channel for others to be renewed by the Holy Spirit. This action is the beginning of love and peace, providing fertile ground for the Holy Spirit to work in our homes and our world.
The Lord is waiting for our invitation. If we welcome Him into our lives and constantly ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God will bring something new and beautiful into our lives.