Thus, came the Holy Spirit on the first Whitsunday. He came, in the rush of a great wind and in the form of fire, to typify the illumination of the mind by faith and the impulse given to the will by love. He came to teach all things, to recall to the minds of the Apostles the full doctrine of Christ.
At once, after their reception of His grace, the Apostles become changed men. No longer timid and frightened followers who fled at the first sight of danger and denied with an oath that they had ever known the name of Christ, they now become glad missionaries, declaring themselves willing to suffer in defense of that name. In council chambers and before kings they announce the Gospel.
So, too, when perplexities come as to whether or not they should force on all Christians the ceremonies of the Old Law as being of binding value on the conscience of the New Dispensation, they assemble, discuss, and decree in a phrase that clearly marks their own appreciation of the place they had to take in giving to the world the message of Christ: “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” They and the Holy Spirit are fellow-workers in the apostolate of Christ. The revelation made to them by their Master was but a grain of mustard seed compared with the full development that would come after. It would grow from that until it included all truth. Yet, the knowledge of every detail of that truth would not at once be necessary, so the gradual unfolding was left to the work of the Spirit.
The work, then, of the Holy Ghost is twofold: it is to inflame the love and it is to enlighten the mind. Let me wait patiently for this illumination of my spirit by the Holy Spirit, putting no obstacle in the way, praying daily for that illumination that shall light as by a vision my view of life.
