Last week we celebrated the Ascension of Jesus. This week we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. And the Spirit knows no ascension. The Spirit is still upon us, dwelling within the Church, within us.

Christ himself promised the Spirit. He and the Father sent the Spirit, binding us to God thereby. By faith, by Sacraments, by the Spirit, we remain in Christ who remains in the Father. This is how, as Peter said, we become “partakers in the divine nature,” that is, in God himself—by the presence of the Spirit.

And the Spirit bears fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, self-control, faithfulness, gentleness. These are what should characterize our community, and us individually. Where we find these, we can trust the Spirit is present. And since the Spirit has descended and not ascended, we know we can find them somewhere. We just have to look!

And so, look for signs of the Spirit this week. Seek out traces of the Spirit’s presence. Make the Spirit visible yourself, by offering the fruits of the Spirit wherever you go.

Happy Pentecost! Be a person of the Spirit!