“The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know from where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).
If a Chinese restaurant took the above passage, subtracted the sentence that follows the semicolon and stuck it in a fortune cookie, I’d have no idea that it was Jesus who said it. Part of the difficulty I am having in writing about this passage, especially in regard to His analogy about wind, is that it is so ordinary. What can I say about a typical aspect of the weather?
Wind is often a phenomenon I don’t consider unless it is somehow interrupting my plans because it is so strong or I wish there was more of it to abate my suffering from a humid summer day. Ah… maybe Jesus was onto something. Maybe my relationship to the Holy Spirit and the wind are more similar than I’d like to admit.
How often have I felt the Holy Spirit interrupt my plans? How often have I wished that the Holy Spirit were more present to console me when I experienced spiritual fear, doubt and confusion? It takes great humility and trust to submit to the mysterious movements of the Holy Spirit. Which way is He moving in your heart today?
“El viento sopla donde quiere y oyes su ruido, pero no sabes de dónde viene ni a dónde va. Así pasa con quien ha nacido del Espíritu” (Juan 3,8).
Si un restaurante chino tomara este pasaje, eliminara la frase que sigue al punto y coma y la incluyera en una galleta de la fortuna, yo no tendría ni idea de que fue Jesús quien lo dijo. Parte de la dificultad que tengo al escribir sobre este pasaje, especialmente en lo que respecta a su analogía con el viento, es que es algo tan común. ¿Qué puedo decir sobre un aspecto tan cotidiano del clima?
El viento suele ser un fenómeno en el que no pienso mucho, a menos que de alguna manera interfiera con mis planes por ser demasiado fuerte, o a menos que desee que sople más para aliviar el calor de un día de verano húmedo. Ah… quizás Jesús sabía porque lo dijo así. Quizás mi relación con el Espíritu Santo y el viento sean más similares de lo que me gustaría admitir.
¿Cuántas veces he sentido que el Espíritu Santo interrumpe mis planes? ¿Cuántas veces he deseado que el Espíritu Santo estuviera más presente para consolarme cuando he experimentado miedo, duda y confusión espiritual? Se necesita mucha humildad y confianza para someterse a los misteriosos movimientos del Espíritu Santo. ¿Hacia dónde se mueve en tu corazón el día de hoy?
Matthew is a student at the Catholic Psych Institute to one day provide Mentorship – a daily service that integrates and aligns the best of the Psychological sciences with Catholic Anthropology and Spirituality. To learn more about Mentorship or read more from Matthew, join his newsletter (coming soon).
Feature Image Credit: Andrew D, unsplash.com/photos/a-red-object-on-a-pole-0zfhSTsriTg
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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