The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
Have you ever had an “Upper Room Moment” ? Moments full of suspense waiting for the Holy Spirit to come. Moments that invite us into worship without reservation. Moments in which the human heart anticipates the fullness of the Spirit’s presence.
I had one of these moments this past year.
Last summer, after leaving my university and moving back home, I had hip surgery. It was a surgery I dreaded, as I had gone through this experience not once, but twice before. I was familiar with the ups and downs that come with recovery, the physical therapy protocols and restrictions, followed by the eventual return to normalcy. I knew that the ache for normalcy would subside as it had before. But although the experience was similar, my heart felt like those of the apostles in the upper room. It was full of fear and uncertainty, not knowing if the empty space would be filled with goodness anytime soon and fearing that normalcy would never return.
“...and it filled the entire house in which they were.”
Two weeks after my surgery, I got a phone call from my pastor asking if I wanted to join him and our local missionaries for dinner that night. Though my mind was clouded with anxiety out of anticipation, my heart leapt at the opportunity to open itself up to something new and something different. Though I only knew two people that would be there and had no idea what would happen at this dinner, I said yes to the invitation. That evening, we sat around the table to share this meal, and we found ourselves sharing stories and being asked big questions like “How will we change the world?”. And, without much hesitation, we answered “By proclaiming the Gospel with our lives”.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit”
My heart no longer felt dread, fear, and uncertainty; rather, it was filled with zeal and joy knowing that the Spirit was present in our midst. Like the hearts of the apostles, it was filled with courage and hope, knowing that the Holy Spirit had brought us together to guide us in sharing the Gospel. It was filled with comfort, knowing that we were sharing the Gospel together and pursuing the call to mission. It is still filled with all of these things, for the Spirit is ever present and ever near.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit, friends! Invite the Spirit to take residence in your heart not just today, but every day. Allow Him to conquer your fear and proclaim the Gospel with your life. Though you may be in a season of waiting and anxious anticipation, know that the Spirit is present and will continue to fill your heart with the many gifts and fruits He bears.
Chrysta Joy Jaucian is a singer-songwriter, student, and missionary from Houston, Texas. She serves with Adore Ministries, a grassroots ministry focused on knowing, loving, and serving God. Chrysta loves drinking coffee, capturing candid moments with her phone camera, and finding God in the ordinary things. Come say hi on Instagram!