Address to Athens and beyond

The text from the Book of Acts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today reveals some of the influences within Paul as he is inspired to deliver the Good News to the people of Athens. He is able to stand in front of the Areopagus and perceive something of the spiritual life of his audience. The sense that they thirst for greater experience of the inner life that can only be tied to a resonance of indwelling Spirit with the Divine leads him to refer to their “unknown god”. The less philosophic approach to this recognizes the great difference between external remote deity and “God with skin on” as children understand. The psalmist understands and praises God who is praised by kings, princes, young men, maidens, old men and children. The thirst is universal. This catholic need to understand the Divine experienced in our Spirit is address by Jesus in the Gospel of John by the promise of “Spirit of truth” which is witnessed as active in the believers usually following the invocation of the Holy Spirit. Nicky Gumbel, UK presenter the Alpha courses proclaims “when you invite the Holy Spirit to come, He does”.