Feeling the Holy Spirit Submit to the Holy Spirit for a holy Lent

By Rev. Gene Packwood

To observe Lent at all, let alone a Holy one, by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, reading and meditating on the word of God (BAS, p282; BCP, p612) can only be done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Without the Spirit’s power and revealing of truth, we’re just being “religious” in our feeble attempts to fashion some kind of standing and selfjustification before God.

Our Anglican Prayer Books are a great help because they keep the Holy Spirit in the frame.

For example, in the Collects for the First Sunday in Lent, we prayed that we would be subdued to the Spirit so we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness (BCP, p140) and that we would be given grace to discipline ourselves in submission to your Spirit, so that as you know our weakness, so we may know your power to save (BAS, p286).

Subdued and submitted leads to Spirit-filled.

Only as we are able to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to expose, identify and subdue the sinful desires that always draw and twist us away from the love and truth of God, are we freed and able to fully participate in Easter’s coming joys.

Just as Jesus said, the Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Spirit of Truth came to convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).

Taking prayers such as these to heart, bends us into the perfect will of God and shows us what is right and what is wrong. Lent is for getting real in the power of the Spirit.

The use of the penitential Psalm 51 in the BAS Ash Wednesday rite attests to this:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. … sustain me with your bountiful Spirit! … and sinners shall return to you. … The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Amen. The Holy Spirit is given and can also be taken.

We don’t need to force anything, or somehow ramp up our feelings artificially.

We simply take to heart and use the wise lifegiving words of Scripture in our Prayer Books. Be honest.

The Litany of Repentance helps: We have been deaf to your call to serve as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit. Have mercy on us, Lord. (BAS, p284) Have I grieved the Holy Spirit?

And on Good Friday in the Meditation on the Cross of Jesus: I sent the Spirit of truth to guide you, and you close your hearts to the Counsellor. Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal one, have mercy upon us (BAS, p315).

How closed has my heart been recently? What do I need to do, or not do, to open it again?

O LORD of life, please infuse my sin-closed and troubled spirit with your bright and bountiful Spirit!