In Genesis 1, when God created the earth and the heavens, we find the Holy Spirit “hovering over the waters,”, writes Sean O'Neill, Director of Outreach, Formation and Ministry at Church of the Resurrection parish in Lansing, in the latest edition of FAITH Magazine.
Creating the earth was no mean feat. But when you think about the size of the universe, you discover that it is an unimaginably vast space filled with galaxies, dark matter, black holes and enormous uninhabited voids.
The universe’s diameter is reckoned to be approximately 93 billion light years. The Holy Spirit holds all of it in existence. Also, think of the number of atoms or subatomic particles that must exist. A person could go insane trying to take it all in.
And yet, the Holy Spirit sustains every tiny particle, every molecule, every object, planet, and star; all creatures great and small!
The Holy Spirit uses a staggering amount of power to keep the universe running, and that power is, quite simply, love. God is love.
This is why we do not need to be crushed by the immensity of God’s power, his tremendous majesty or his all-pervading presence. When we realize that the essence of God is love, we can dare to approach him. Jesus tells us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt. 7:7) In writing to the Hebrews, Matthew reminds us not to go to God with trembling knees and quivering hearts: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)
That grace is one of the gifts of baptism. The Christian life wasn’t designed to be tackled using our feeble human powers. We can’t strongarm our way to holiness. Instead, when we rely on the Holy Spirit’s strength, life’s burdens become not just bearable but manageable. Jesus’ yoke is easy, and his burden is light.
The Holy Spirit guarantees that God is on our side, that we are beloved, and that he wants us to experience the fullness of life. We may be tempted to think that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten sleeping partner of the Trinity. But, in reality, he is so important that Jesus told his disciples, “… it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you.” (Jn. 16:7)
The immense, world-creating power of the Holy Spirit is the same power that he gives us to take the narrow path of holiness to heaven. It is the power of love.