Symbols and the Holy Spirit
The Feast of Pentecost
Carla Waterman, Advent Liturgist
When it comes to describing the activity of the Holy Spirit in the world, the Scriptures and the Church has consistently defaulted to symbols. In other words, it is virtually impossible for humans to describe the Spirit’s work directly. We hit the limits of language to directly communicate the spiritual realities we experience. Rather, we take something we are very familiar with and hold the image of that thing together with a spiritual reality we are seeking to understand. The root of the word “symbol” means to throw two unrelated things together. In the Scriptures symbols help us understand the “more” that is the Spirit’s enlivening work in us by using a word we know, like “fire” and throwing it together with a reality we are seeking to understand, like the empowering of the disciples by the Spirit on Pentecost.
The Scriptures employ four overarching symbols to describe the Spirit’s work in the world. These symbols run the length of the Bible. They are breath, wind, water and fire. The Spirit breathes and blows, flows and kindles. They are different images that seek to capture the intimate, sometimes gentle, sometimes intense power of the Holy Spirit. Breath can come in gentle buffs and loud exhales. Wind comes as breezes and gales. Water can come in drops and floods. And fire? It can light candles and decimate forests.
I’m struck by the controlled power of these primary symbols for the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was the creative force that enlivened God’s will in the world. The Spirit hovers over the chaos in Genesis 1 and is the world’s life-giver and sustainer. He gives wisdom to Joseph and creative insight to the craftsmen building the temple. At times the Spirit is in the wind, and at times the Spirit whispers. The Spirit raises up leaders like Samuel pouring oil on David. In fact, anointing oil illustrates the way these symbols actually makes presence what they are pointing to. What the oil does to David’s forehead--cleansing, softening, beautifying-- the Spirit is doing to David’s heart and mind.
The music for Pentecost is rich in symbols that seek to image what the Spirit is doing in the people. Look out for the many symbols this Sunday as we worship together. We encounter the Holy Spirit in different ways throughout our journeys. Which images speak to you? How might you ask the Holy Spirit to come to you this Pentecost? As breath to renew? As wind to blow away what has grown old? As fire to kindle your hearts? In all of these we pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!”
Come Holy Spirit!
Come as water to refresh and cleanse.
Come as breath to sustain and wind to move.
Come as a fire to burn away the dross and kindle our hearts with your love.
