Several weeks ago, on Palm Sunday, we were 'talking together' through these pages; and we marvelled at all that Jesus was about to do for us through His death and resurrection. Today, we marvel at a further gift: the gift of the Holy Spirit, of God's abiding presence among us.
We owe everything that is good in us to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit binds us together, making us one in the Body of Christ. The Spirit gives us courage - to speak to God in prayer and to speak of God to others. The Spirit is our Reminder, nudging our memories to be mindful of all that God has taught us through Jesus.
How do we know that the Spirit is with us? We know through many experiences: through difficult ones, like courage overcoming fear, or love remaining faithful in suffering, or temptation being resisted in times of trial. But we know the Spirit's presence most especially when our hearts are joyful and we touch God's warmth in prayer and we meet God's loving kindness in others. The Spirit is God's life in us, because God wishes us to have life - and to have it to the full.
Send forth Your Spirit, O Lord, and renew us.