Speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus reminds him that the Spirit has a life of its own - it cannot be claimed, manipulated, or determined, by a human being. Yet, the Spirit's purpose and joy (I would assume) is to draw close to a human being, infusing it with God's purpose and hope, giving energy, the kind of energy that hovered over the primal waters of Genesis and gave form to chaos.
Been thinking about the Spiritual Presence in our world, and how the Spirit is hovering over the chaos of American violence and guns, suddenly bringing forth an unexpected movement of youth, their voices crying in the wilderness of our shame and ignorance, calling attention to what might be, a better world.
There's something about their passion transcending the moment, coming from where the Spirit itself resides, in the heart of God, a God who doesn't give up on the creation, because the creation is essentially good, in spite of the existential chaos generated by human resistance to the Good.
The youth, in their singularity, and in their community, have been seized, I believe, by the Spiritual Presence, the greater good, the hope of the ages, the peace that surpasses ... taking them, as the Spirit did to Jesus, into the wilderness, tempted by the Evil One, to take the easy way out (I'm sure), perhaps wondering if it's worth it. But in the power of the Spirit, they speak truth to false power and false prophets and false voices, and in ways beyond expectation, as with Jesus in the wilderness, there are angels there with sustenance and mercy.
The Spirit blows where it will ... and in this case, in the passionate words of the youth, I see the kind of power that transforms, because its willing to shoulder great burdens and take up great causes (isn't this what the Cross is all about?).
The Spirit spoke to the youth, and to all of us: "How much more violence and death are you willing to accept for the sake of a few who have distorted American history and the Second Amendment in order to make money and possess a false and idolatrous power?"
The Spiritual Presence loves this world, because it's God's world ... and where's there's chaos, the Spirit hovers, and in the wind of its love, order emerges, and something new and good takes form.
The Spirit, indeed, goes where it will ... and to all the adults with their guns and their Bibles, how odd it must seem that the Spirit should alight upon the hearts and minds of our youth!
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