The Holy Spirit Prays in and through and with Us 16th Sunday A
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43
In the second reading, Saint Paul describes the Holy Spirit as coming “to the aid of our weakness”. He then explains that we need the Holy Spirit’s help “for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.”
In these verses, Paul is referring to a specific kind of prayer, the prayer of contemplation, which is a gift from God, a gift from the Holy Spirit, and cannot be self-manufactured. Contemplative prayer typically goes beyond vocal prayer, by being a form of wordless prayer during which the Holy Spirit, in union with our heart, offers our heart to the Lord’s heart, with “inexpressible groanings.”
Paul also describes all of creation “groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:22-23) Why do we, along with all of creation, groan inwardly? The reason, comments Scott Hahn, is that without Jesus we, along with all of creation, are “not able to attain [our] goal, [our] ultimate purpose because of [our] rebellion against God.” [1]
However, because of Jesus, because God became man and suffered for us and with us, we can attain our ultimate purpose, which is eternal loving communion with God and all the saints and angels in heaven. For this reason, the Holy Spirit intercedes in and through us so that we can be ever more deeply united with God, our ultimate end.
Every time we receive the Eucharist, we are given the opportunity to deepen our relationship with Jesus whom our hearts long for, as aided by the Holy Spirit’s wordless prayers welling up within us.
In her diaries, Saint Faustina described the reception of the Holy Eucharist as “The grandest moment in my life”. She continues with, “Every time I receive Holy Communion, I am longing [to receive it], and for every Holy Communion I thank the Holy Trinity. If the angels could be envious, they would envy us two things – first, receiving Holy Communion, and secondly, suffering.”[2]
Today, may we allow the Holy Spirit to pray in and through us with wordless groanings, “for we do not know how to pray as we ought”. May the Holy Spirit increase our appreciation for the great gift of the receiving the Holy Eucharist a time of deep intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus, who gives us ultimate purpose in life and whom all of creation groans for his return at the end of time to transform this broken world so marked by suffering, and death, into a New Heavens and a New Earth where sin, and death will be no more.
Holy Spirit, may the sufferings we experience in this life as we, along with all of creation, wait for final union with Jesus, be opportunities of every deeper intimacy with Jesus who offers to suffer with us, to carry our burdens with us, for his “burden is easy, and [his] burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30)
May God Bless You – Father Peter
[1] Scott Hahn, The End: The Book of Revelation (Saint Joseph Communications), 12 CD set.
[2] Faustina Kowalska, “Saint Faustina Kowalska Diary,” faustyna.pl, https://www.saint-faustina.org/diary-full-text/, no. 1804.
Catholic Evangelization 