The Holy Spirit's Family Room

The famous line “No man is an island” applies to each one of us. We are all connected and we not only rely on and benefit from the actions of others but we are called to be a part of our human family. We are called to be a part of the family of believers too! Sometimes a church service, a Mass or other worship, can feel like attending a play. There are the people who do the acting, and then there are the people who sit back and do the watching. Maybe we have that passive mindset. Am I there to be entertained? To be “done to”? To just be a recipient? Or am I attending this service as an active part of what is happening? Am I truly worshipping my God with my whole heart, mind, attention, body language, and voice? We have all been at events where there is an electricity in the air – a sports contest, a concert, a gathering of like-minded worshippers. There is a sense of belonging to something bigger than just one individual – we are part of a cohesive group. It is invigorating! It is motivating! We are fully alive. And it happens one by one. No one orchestrates this excitement for us. Each person there is committed and motivated to join the swell of belonging. If we are part of that wave we are not an island, but fully attending where we are. In our worship, this electricity is the Holy Spirit, filling the place and the hearts of those gathered.

How can we be filled with this Holy Spirit at church? Our senses can either help us or call us to think about something else. Obviously, things like cell phones interfere with our attention. So do the silent distractions in our own minds – “what’s for dinner? I like her new dress. They should take that crying baby outside!”

We are invited to pray with our own heart at peace and open. We can prepare by reading the readings ahead of time. We focus our attention on what is going on, either by sitting closer to the altar or using a hearing aid if needed. When we are on time, we don’t scurry in and interrupt those around us. 

Most importantly of all, we can BE there with all our hearts. We can stand and sit as indicated. We can sing, even if our voice is croaky. We can pray aloud with the others who gather. We ARE the body of Christ when we choose to enter the holy space of being a contributing part of the community. We pray together and give one another encouragement that we are not alone and that this membership in the church family is important to us. Then we can leave enlivened to spread the good news!