The Holy Spirit Makes New Life Possible

Today’s readings place the Holy Spirit at the center of God’s Advent promise. Isaiah speaks of a fragile shoot rising from the dead stump of Jesse—a place where life seemed finished. Yet what brings this dying root back to life is not human strength or royal power, but the Spirit of the Lord resting upon it. When the Spirit moves, what looks dead begins to live again. What is broken begins to heal. What is barren begins to bloom. Isaiah lists the seven gifts of this Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts will rest fully on the Messiah, but they are also given to us. They are the very life of God poured into human hearts so that we may see, act, and love as Christ does. Advent is therefore not just about waiting for Christ to come; it is about allowing the Holy Spirit to prepare our hearts so that we may recognize and welcome Him. Isaiah describes the world transformed by this Spirit-filled Messiah: wolves dwelling with lambs, enemies reconciled, creation at peace, and a little child leading them. This is the deep peace the Holy Spirit still wants to create in us—peace in our memories, our relationships, our fears, our wounds. The Spirit brings harmony where we have grown divided, tenderness where we have grown hard, and hope where we have grown discouraged. In the Gospel, Jesus Himself becomes the model of life in the Spirit. We are told that He “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” and praised the Father for revealing divine mysteries to the little ones. The Spirit opens the eyes of the humble, the simple, the trusting—those who do not rely on their own strength but on God’s grace. It is not brilliance or power that allows us to understand the things of God; it is the Spirit who gives sight. Jesus then says something astonishing: “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.” Why? Because the Spirit reveals Christ to us in ways kings and prophets longed for but never experienced. Every time we turn to prayer, every time we open Scripture, every time we receive the Eucharist, the Spirit opens our eyes to the presence of the One who saves. So, as we enter deeper into Advent, the readings invite us to three Spirit-centered attitudes: 1. Trust the Spirit to bring life out of what seems dead. 2. Allow the Spirit to create peace within you. 3. Become little before God. Let this Advent be a season of surrender to the Holy Spirit—who prepares the way, softens our hearts, and makes us ready to behold Christ when He comes. Come, Holy Spirit. Make all things new in us.