Holy Spirit is the power from on high

"And now I am sending upon you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city, until you are clothed with the power from on high." (Luke 24: 49)

The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise of God to man. He is the power from on high. There is a power from on high and a power from below.

Power is the dominant attribute of the Holy Spirit. What is power, anyway?

"Ability, whether physical, mental or moral, to act; the faculty of doing or performing something; capacity for action or for performance or receiving external action or force; capability of producing or undergoing an effect, whether physical, mental, moral."

Holy fruits

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and be called the Son of God." (Luke 1: 35)

What do we learn about the person of the Holy Spirit from the above scripture? First, He
is the power of the Most High. We already know that power is the dominant attribute of the Holy Spirit. So if you need power to live out God's purpose in your life, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. The opposite of power is powerlessness. We know friends who have great intentions and resolutions all the time but are always powerless to take the first step.

When the Holy Spirit is present in our life, we are guaranteed to produce fruits that are holy and worthy of the children of God.

The Holy Spirit and the power to do good

"God had anointed him with Holy Spirit and power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil." (Acts 10: 38)

The highest form of blessing is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit made an immediate impact on His ministry. He went about doing good and the anointing launched Him into His healing ministry.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to do good. The Holy Spirit also gives us a share in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. The fullness of this ministry is exercised in the priesthood through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and breaking open the word of God. The word of God releases the healing truths of God's word which can touch our hearts and minds where it hurts the most.

Holy Spirit and Witnessing

"It is not for you to know the times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit which will come upon you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to earth's remotest end." (Acts 1: 8)

The dominant attribute of the Holy Spirit is power, power to witness to the person and mission of Jesus Christ. And power to become an active player in the world mission of Jesus Christ. Without the special anointing of the Holy Spirit, it will be impossible to accomplish either of these.

"I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit bear fruit that will last." (John 15: 16, 19)

"I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord. I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, alleluia!" We need the Holy Spirit power to say this and to do it.

The tree and the fruit

"On the other hand the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5: 22 – 23)

A good tree produces good fruits. A bad tree produces rotten fruits. By their fruits, you shall know the tree. The word of God gives us in the above scripture an irrefutable principle of discernment. You want to know the man, look at his fruits. Discernment of spirits is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The more you know the word of God, the more you exercise this gift.

The little one

"Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." (Luke 9: 48)

Who is the little one? The poor, the weak, the marginalized, the undocumented immigrant. To serve them is to welcome the "little one" in the name of Christ.

"Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do for me."

The Church has a preferential option for the "little one" Watch out for the opportunity to do things for the little ones.