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Author: Dominic Perrem, from The Community of Nazareth in Dublin, Ireland.

In the letter to the Romans, Paul says, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11)

Once Jesus was raised from the dead, he met the disciples and ate with them, providing plenty for them. When you think of Jesus, perhaps you only think of a Deity—far off, glorified, asking you to be a spiritual person. Perhaps you feel Jesus is not interested in your physical struggles or that he is not willing to share them. Perhaps you are aching from an injury or struggling with loss and disappointment. But Christ didn’t die for you and send his Holy Spirit upon you so that you would no longer suffer. Instead, he did so for you to partake fully in his life and to comfort you in body and spirit. 

He invites you to take courage in the Spirit. He calls upon you to follow him in the midst of your life. The Holy Spirit is a life-giver—a person who comes and brings life to you. As the daily struggles, joys, disappointments, opportunities, and changes come to you now, remember that God, through the ministry of Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit, is right beside you. He never asked you to pretend to be spiritually perfect, but he gave you his Spirit so that he could share himself with you—he gave his Spirit to care for you, to fill you and guide you to him. Don’t forget that he walks beside you, caring for your needs, suffering with you on the road to Emmaus, and offering you nourishment in body and soul. 

Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.