PentC22.   Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11.   There was “a noise like a strong driving wind.” “Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.  And they were filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Without the Holy Spirit who breathes into us spiritual life, we are just earthly animals among vast multitudes ofoly SpiritHoly Spirit we are justHoly spirit we arHHHHHHHHHH other earthly animals.  With the Holy Spirit we are capable of going beyond this world to heaven.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can choose to live spiritually in this earthly world.

John 14:15-16, 23b-26.   “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”  God’s will or ‘word’ is God’s expression of love for us.  When we live in obedience or union with God’s will, we make God’s love for us our life-giving blood.  Then God dwells within us because we have God as our life.  “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”  The Holy Spirit enables us to discern or know God’s will or what God wants of us.  God’s personal presence in us gives us not only the knowledge of what his love desires of us but also the strength and will to DO what he wants of us.

Romans 8:8-17.   “You are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.” “We are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  We live by the Spirit when we make the breathe of the Spirit our life.  We die, as all flesh eventually dies, when we let our bodies tell us what to do, say and think.