Au In the beginning was the Word
 

1. -      The word spirit  (in Hebrew rûah, is feminine; in Greek pneuma, in neuter; in Latin spiritus, is masculine) is used in the bible to express God’s realness (Jn 4,24), his gifts (Is 11,2), the gift of the spirit (Jn 14,16) and the life’s breathing existing in the man (Gn 2,7). Originally, it means wind blowing and vital breath. In the Scripture God’s spirit always appears in action: it is like the wind (Jn 3,8), like breathing (Ps 104, 29-30), like water (Jn 7,37-39), like fire (Sir 48,1;Jr 20,9;Acts 2,3-4), like oil (Am 6,6;Ezk 1,6; 1S10,1-6).

2. -            Nevertheless, we can believe in God and in Christ without having received the gift of the spirit. When the apostles made themselves conscious that Samaria had received God’s word, they sent Peter and John there. Both prayed for them so that they could receive the holy spirit, since he had not descended over any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 8, 14-17). And in Ephesus Paul asked the following question to some of the disciples: Did you receive holy spirit when you became believers? They answered: We have not even heard that anyone may receive holy spirit. (Acts 19,2; with minuscule and without article, according to the original greek). If they really have a minimum knowledge of the Old Testament, they do not ignore his existence, but his effusion, the accomplishment of Joel’s prophecy: It will happen in the last days, says God: I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh (Jl 3,1). It is also Jesus promise.

3. -            Between the Pharisees there was a man named Nicodemus, jewish magistrate. Like Pharisee, he is a man of law; besides, he is in the supreme organ of the Jewish government. He approached Jesus and told him: Rabbi, we know that you have come from God like master, for no one can perform miraculous signs like yours unless God is with him (Jn 3,2). Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus authority like master, but he, really, belongs to a different world. Jesus tells him: No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again from above (Jn 3,3). A radical change is required, a new birth. But Nicodemus does not believe that the man can change: How can there be rebirth for a grown man? Who could go back to his mother’s womb and be born again? Jesus details his position: Unless one is born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. It is necessary to be born from the water that symbolizes the conversion announced by John (1,31), but it is also necessary to be born from the spirit: What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Because of this, don’t be surprised when I say: you must be born again from above. The wind blows where it pleases and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (Jn 3,3.8)

4. -            Nicodemus is a master in Israel, but he understands nothing. Like  a Pharisee, he believes that God has finished his task, that the man is in his definite status, that there is no gate to cross. But Jesus says other thing: creation is not finished, God continues his work (Jn 5,17), the man must be born from the spirit, id est, from God’s reality. Nicodemus is the man of the law; tied to a code that beforehand excludes any novelty, and it is closed to God´s action. The dialogue reflects a tension between the synagogue and the disciples’ community: We talk about what we know and we give our testimony of what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony.

5. -      God´s spirit appears in Jesus life in many ways: in his conception (Lk 1,35), in his baptism (3,21-22), in the dessert (4,1), in his mission (4,14-22), in his prayer (10,21), in his farewell dinner (Jn 14,16-17), in his resurrection (20,22; see Gn 2,7), in first community birth (Acts 2). Jesus delivers the spirit without measure (Jn 3,34). He evangelises by the strength of the spirit and he makes it with signals of liberation: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and announce the Lord ´s year of mercy (Lk 4,18-29; see Is 61,1-2).

6. -      In the last supper´s context, Jesus makes a fundamental communication to his disciples: I have told you now before it takes place, so that when it does happen you may believe (Jn 14,29). Jesus announces (once and again) the gift of the spirit: And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, that spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him for he is with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans, I am coming to you, A little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me because I live and you will also live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you (Jn 14,16-20: about the testimony of two persons, of Jesus and the Father, see Jn 8,17-18)-

7. -      He also says: If any one loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and make our home with him…. And these words that you hear are not mine but the Father´s who sent me. I told you all this while I was still with you. From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of all that I have told you. (14, 23-26; about the holy spirit who educates us, see Wis 1,5).

8. -      And again: Those who hate me hate my Father… From the Father, I will send you the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father. When this Helper comes, he will testify about me. And you, too, will be my witnesses for you have been with me from the beginning. (Jn 15,23-17). And finally: Indeed believe me: It is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but I am going away and then I will send him to you. When he comes, he will uncover the lie of the world and show clearly what its sin has been, what the way of righteousness is, and how the Judgment has come. I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them sow. When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into the whole truth. He will not give his own message but will speak only of what he hears, and he will tell you of the things to come. He will take what is mine and make it known to you; in doing this, he will glorify me, All that the Father has is mine; because of this I have just told you, that the Spirit will take what is mine and make it known to you. (Jn 16,7-15).

9.-       The gift of the spirit is a fact that bursts generously like Christ Pasch´s fruit. It is proclaimed by Peter on Pentecost day: Fellow Jews and all foreigners now staying in Jerusalem, listen to what I have to say. These people are not drunk as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. In deed what the prophet Joel spoke about has happened: In the last days, God says, I will pout out my Spirit on every mortal. Your sons and daughters will speak through the Holy Spirit; your young men will see visions and your old men will have dreams. (Acts 2,16-17). It is Jesus´ exaltation On the part of God: To Jesus of Nazareth, a man who God accredited with powerful deeds and wonders and signs in your midst… This Messiah is Jesus and we are all witnesses that God raised him to life. He has been exalted at God´s right side and the Father has entrusted the Holy Spirit to him; this Spirit he has just poured upon us as you now see and hear (Acts 2,27-33).

10. -    In the Church, Jesus signals are repeated: the crippled walk (Acts 3-10; 5,12-16; 14,8-10), the death are resurrected (9,40;20,19), radical changes are carried out (2,41; 5,14;10,44-48), God´s word is bravely announced (4,13;5.20;9,27;14,3;28,31), goods are shared (2,44;4,32), the spirit produces his fruits (1 Co 12,8-10), it is confessed that Jesus is the Lord ( 1 Co 12,5). The Acts of the Apostles are the evangel of the spirit.

Dialogue: The gift of the spirit continues being current. Saint Agustin says: If in the present the Holy Spirit presence is not manifested with such miracles, how will it be possible that any one know that he has received the Spirit?. Do we have experience of this?