Christianity can often seem to fall short of its promises. Christ promises a “peace beyond understanding,” but we have stress beyond imagining. Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always,” but daily prayer feels like a daily cross. St. Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you,” but our hearts can’t even rest enough to sleep well at night.
Remembering his many titles, here are seven ways the Holy Spirit can help.
First, let the Advocate advocate for you.
Tell the Holy Spirit exactly what is going wrong: “I feel pressured by faith. My prayer feels like obligation. I have Catholic burn-out!”
Religious people are often pressured by themselves or others to conform to an unrealistic ideal of piety that is frustrating instead of freeing. If that’s you, relax and realize that all you need to do — and all you should do, if you’re overwhelmed — is minimum Catholicism. Feel free to skip anything extra for a time. You officially have the Holy Spirit’s permission, because this is Church teaching.
Second, let the Consoler console you.
A priest once assigned me the prose-version of the Pentecost Sequence to fight discouragement, and I still pray it almost daily. It is very consoling, as is the shorter version composed by a 13th-century Archbishop of Canterbury:
“Holy Spirit, remake me.
Wash what is unclean.
Water what is parched.
Heal what is diseased.
Bend what is rigid.
Warm what is cold.”
Third, trust your communication to the Spirit of Truth.
Our religious stress often comes from difficult interpersonal relationships — past hurts, current misunderstandings, and selfish intentions have dug chasms between us and those we love.
But the Pentecost story is all about how the Spirit of Truth overcomes miscommunication. The same Holy Spirit that allows Hebrews, Parthians, Medes, and Elamites to understand Peter can help wounded siblings, angry spouses, misunderstood children, and thwarted friends understand you.
But remember: The Spirit of Truth doesn’t exist to make you feel better, but to bring charity and truth where selfishness and lies prevail. Ask the Spirit of Truth to help you communicate his love.
Fourth, let the “Spirit of Christ” forgive you.
When Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on the apostles, it is for a very particular reason: so they will forgive sins. This is God’s great pathway to relief. Happiness is restored in confessionals more often than anywhere else on earth.
We will never find peace while we are giving our peace away to sin; to harmful pleasures that consume us, bad habits that demean us, or self-seeking that inflates us. God is love; the Holy Spirit is God’s love; and to love God means to keep his commandments. To have peace we must break with sin.
Fifth, ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Every baptized person is guaranteed the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus says the Father will give the Holy Spirit to whoever asks. So ask. Pray:
“Come, Holy Spirit; grant me your seven gifts:
Wisdom to see from your perspective;
understanding to think with your insights;
knowledge, with ears that hear you;
right judgement, that points me toward heaven;
fortitude that trusts in you courageously;
fear of the Lord that bends the knee at your name;
and piety that rests in your love.”
Sixth, ask for the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
When God says “by your fruits you will know them,” he means the fruits of the Holy Spirit, for starters. Pray:
“Holy Spirit, grant me the fruits of your presence.
Unite with me in Charity, Joy, and Peace;
may I see you in others with Patience, Kindness, and Goodness;
may they see you in me, through Gentleness, Generosity, and Faithfulness;
and help me welcome you with Modesty, Self-Control, and Chastity.
Seventh, thank the Holy Spirit, the Giver of God’s gifts.
It is truly necessary and wholesome to tell God honestly what is going terribly wrong in your life: angrily if you’re angry, desperately if you’ve given up, and disgusted if you’re fed up.
But it is also truly necessary to notice how God is smiling on you.
Thank him for your food and drink (and health!), your home (and furniture and appliances!) and your clothing (and shoes and blankets!). Thank God for your family, friends, and faith and thank him for the beauty, truth. and goodness that surrounds everyone, always.
And above all thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
