To be honest, I really struggled preparing for this homily. I sat down, tried to think about the Holy Spirit, and my mind just felt empty, even though I know there are many things I could talk about.

So I went out for a walk, hoping ideas would come. I came back home… still nothing. 

Then I shared my struggle with someone, and that person simply said to me: “Pray to the Holy Spirit.”

And in that moment, something touched me deeply, because I realised I had been trying everything—thinking, walking, reflecting—but I forgot the most important One.

And even more surprising, I realised this: maybe it was actually the Holy Spirit gently reminding me through that person.

Because this is what often happens in our life. We can talk about the Holy Spirit, but forget to speak to Him. We can learn about Him, but forget to rely on Him. And maybe this is not only my experience, but yours as well.

Because how often do we try to carry everything ourselves? We worry about our future, our family, our work, our studies, our relationships, and even our faith. And in the middle of all that noise inside us, we forget that the Holy Spirit is already with us. And only later, after the stress or the confusion, we remember: “I should pray.”

The Holy Spirit is never absent. We are just not attentive. we easily forget that He is close.

And maybe one reason we forget the Holy Spirit is because He is not always loud or visible.   That is why the Church gives us a few symbols to help us understand Him, if you look at our decoration: red, wind, fire, dove, breath, and seven gifts.

 First, the colour red. I am wearing red today, and red is the colour of blood. Blood is a symbol of life. Without blood flowing through the body, the body cannot live.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the source of our spiritual life. Without the Holy Spirit, our faith slowly becomes weak, dry, and lifeless. Just as blood carries life through the whole body, the Holy Spirit gives us strength, wisdom, and love.

Then there is breath. Breath is something we do not notice, but without it we cannot live. In Scripture, the word for Spirit is closely connected with breath and life. God breathes life into humanity at creation, and Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit upon His disciples after the Resurrection. This tells us the Holy Spirit is not distant. He is as close as our next breath, quietly giving us life.

Then there is fire. Fire gives light and warmth, but it also changes what it touches. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came like tongues of fire upon the disciples. This means He does not leave us unchanged. He burns away fear, weakness, and coldness in our hearts, and He gives us courage, love, and zeal to follow Christ.

Then there is wind. Of course, we cannot see wind, but we can see its effects. It moves things, opens what is closed, and reaches places we cannot reach. At Pentecost, the Spirit came like a strong wind. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is often unseen, but always active—moving hearts, opening paths, and guiding us even when we do not realise it.

The dove. The dove is a sign of peace, purity, and gentleness. At the Baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove. This reminds us that the Spirit does not only come with power, but also with gentleness. He heals, restores, and brings peace into our hearts.

And finally, we also remember His seven gifts—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

They are not just ideas to learn, but ways the Holy Spirit quietly shapes us how we think, how we choose, and how we live like Christ each day.

And when we allow Him to work in us, these gifts slowly become the life of Christ growing inside our own hearts.

So today, maybe Pentecost is not asking us to understand more ideas, but to notice what is already given to us. Because the Holy Spirit is not far away. He is closer than we think.

He is like breath—we do not see it, but without it we cannot live.
He is like wind—we cannot control it, but we see what it does.
He is like fire—He warms what is cold and gives courage when there is fear.
He is like a dove—gentle, peaceful, quietly healing what is broken.

And even the colour we wear today—red—reminds us of life itself. Because without blood there is no life in the body, and without the Holy Spirit, our faith slowly becomes empty.

So maybe after listening to all these symbols, we still might not feel like we have all the answers, and we may still ask ourselves: “Do I really know the Holy Spirit?”

That is okay. But maybe the deeper question is this: “Am I letting Holy Spirit give life to me?”

Because most times, many of us are like I was at the beginning of this homily—busy thinking, worrying, struggling, trying to figure everything out by myself, and slowly, without even noticing, we forget the One who is already with us.

So today, Pentecost is a gentle reminder: don’t just think about the Holy Spirit, don’t just talk about Him, but let Him enter our hearts and live within us.

And before we leave today, just carry this simple truth in your heart: He is not far. He is already here—like breath, like wind, like fire, like a gentle dove.

And if you forget all the words or symbols I mentioned, that is okay. Just look there, and let what you see remind you that the Holy Spirit is still speaking to us, still guiding us, and still giving life to us today.

PHOTO: By Serge Taeymans on Unsplash